Methods for determination of low-molecular weight carbonyl compounds in the ambient atmosphere

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5543760

Vairavamurthy, A; Roberts, J M; Newman, L

Determination of carbonyl compounds in the ambient atmosphere is receiving increasing attention because of the critical role these compounds play in tropospheric organic chemistry. Currently, field measurements are very limited mainly because of the analytical challenges posed by trace concentrations and interferences arising from atmospheric copollutants. We review here the methods for used for determination of carbonyl compounds, from an atmospheric chemistry perspective, emphasizing the principles, advantages, and limitations. Since a large number of varied types of methods have been used specifically for determination of formaldehyde, it is considered separately from other carbonyls. It is clear that despite more than a decade of work, many problems related to sampling, interferences, and artifacts have not been resolved. Because of the increasing demand for time-series measurements in field studies, and automated method for continuous sampling and analysis of carbonyls is very much required. The widely used liquid chromatographic method based on 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine derivatization appears unsuitable for this purpose because of the lengthy collection times required to achieve sub-ppbv detection limits. Important issues to be considered in the development of a suitable field method and potential approaches are discussed. 155 refs., 19 figs., 5 tabs.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 5543760
• Report Number(s): BNL-46244; CONF-9008162-3; ON: DE91015188
• Resource Relation: Conference: Symposium on measurement of airborne compounds: sampling, analysis, and data interpretation, Washington, DC (United States), 26-31 Aug 1990
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
CARBONYLS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
TROPOSPHERE
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
AIR POLLUTION
AUTOMATION
CHROMATOGRAPHY
FLUORESCENCE
FORMALDEHYDE
PHOTOCHEMISTRY
SAMPLING
SPECTROSCOPY
ALDEHYDES
CHEMISTRY
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
LUMINESCENCE
MONITORING
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
400102 - Chemical & Spectral Procedures