Sampling methodology for airborne semivolative organic pollutants using polyurethane foams

Thesis/Dissertation · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6832643

Stevens, F D

Indoor and ambient air organic pollutants have been gaining attention because they have been measured at levels with possible health effects. Studies have shown that most airborne polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides and many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are present in three free vapor state. The purpose of this research was to extend recent investigative work with polyurethane foam (PUF) as a collection medium for semivolatile compounds. Open-porous flexible PUFs with different chemical makeup and physical properties were evaluated. Filtered air samples were pulled through plugs of PUF spiked with various semivolatiles under different simulated environmental conditions, and sampling parameters in other to measure their effects on sample breakthrough volume (V{sub B}). PUF was also evaluated in the passive mode using organo-phosphorus pesticides. Another major goal was to improve the overall analytical methodology. It was confirmed that the PUF collection apparatus behaves as if it were a gas-solid chromatographic system. Open cell (reticulated) foams gave better recoveries than closed cell foams. The high-density polyester PUF was found to be an excellent passive and active collection adsorbent. A gas chromatograph equipped with a photoionization detector gave excellent sensitivities and selectivities for the various classes of compounds investigated.

• Research Organization: Texas Univ., Houston, TX (USA). School of Public Health
• OSTI ID: 6832643
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
AIR SAMPLERS
AROMATICS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DESIGN
EQUIPMENT
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCARBONS
MATERIALS
MATTER
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PESTICIDES
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
POLLUTION
POLYAMIDES
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
POLYMERS
POLYURETHANES
SAMPLERS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
VOLATILE MATTER