Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Air sampling of organophosphate triesters using SPME under non-equilibrium conditions

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) was used to collect air samples of semi-volatile organophosphate triesters, a group of compounds that are commonly used as flame retardants/plasticisers and have therefore become ubiquitous indoor air pollutants. SPME is a simple sampling technique with several major advantages, including time-efficiency and low solvent consumption. Analyte losses also tend to be relatively low. In quantitative SPME, measurements are normally taken after the analyte has reached partitioning equilibrium between the fibre and the sample matrix. However, equilibrium sampling of semi-volatile compounds in air with SPME often takes several hours. Clearly, time-weighted average (TWA) sampling using SPME under non-equilibrium conditions could be considerably faster. So, in this study, the possibility of sampling organophosphate triesters under non-equilibrium conditions was tested. The most important variables proved to be the fibre coating and the air velocity during sampling. The highest uptake rate was obtained with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, 100 μm). The rate for this fibre was 150-fold higher than obtained with PDMS/DVB and Carbowax/DVB, both 65 μm. Contrary to theoretical expectations, the uptake rate appeared to be constant for all tested air velocities over the fibre surface >7 cm/s. These findings suggest that the uptake rate for non-equilibrium SPME sampling is independent of the sampling flow above this flow rate, which would considerably enhance the robustness and flexibility of the method. Applying this method for TWA sampling, with sampling periods of 1 h, detection limits lower than 2 ng/m3 for individual organophosphate esters were obtained.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Pawliszyn J (1997) Solid phase microextraction: theory and practice. Wiley-VCH, New York

    Google Scholar 

  2. Chai M, Pawliszyn J (1995) Environ Sci Technol 29:693–701

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Chai M, Pawliszyn J (1993) Analyst 118(12):1501–1505

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Namiesnik J, Gorlo D, Wolska L, Zugmunt B (1998) Analysis 26(4):170–174

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Czerwinski J, Zugmunt B, Namiesnik J (1996) Fresen Environ Bull 5:55–60

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Gorlo D, Zugmunt B, Dudek M, Jaszek A, Pilarczyk M, Namiesnik J (1999) Fresen J Anal Chem 363:696–699

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bartelt RJ, Zilowski BW (1999) Anal Chem 71:92–101

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Bartelt RJ, Zilowski BW (2000) Anal Chem 72:3949–3955

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Ai J (1997) Anal Chem 69:1230–1236

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Ai J (1997) Anal Chem 69:3260–3266

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Koziel J, Jia M, Pawliszyn J (2000) Anal Chem 72:5178–5186

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Augusto F, Koziel J, Pawliszyn J (2001) Anal Chem 73:481–486

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Carlsson H, Nilsson U, Becker G, Östman C (1997) Environ Sci Technol 31:2931–2936

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Carlsson H, Nilsson U, Östman C (2000) Environ Sci Technol 34:3885–3889

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Sjödin A, Carlsson H, Thuresson K, Sjölin S, Bergman Å, Östman C (2001) Environ Sci Technol 35:448–454

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. WHO (1991) Environmental Health Criteria 112 (Tri-n-butyl phosphate). International Programme on Chemical Safety, WHO, Geneva

  17. WHO (1998) Environmental Health Criteria 209 (Flame retardants: tris(chloropropyl) phosphate and tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate). International Programme on Chemical Safety, WHO, Geneva

  18. Fuller EN, Ensley K, Giddings JC (1966) Ind Eng Chem 58:19–27

    Google Scholar 

  19. Colmsjö A (2003) PC program “FSG”. Dept. of Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden

Download references

Acknowledgements

Conny Östman is acknowledged for helpful discussions and for reviewing the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, 106-91, Stockholm, Sweden

    Sindra Isetun, Ulrika Nilsson, Anders Colmsjö & Rolf Johansson

Authors
  1. Sindra Isetun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ulrika Nilsson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Anders Colmsjö
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Rolf Johansson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ulrika Nilsson.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Isetun, S., Nilsson, U., Colmsjö, A. et al. Air sampling of organophosphate triesters using SPME under non-equilibrium conditions. Anal Bioanal Chem 378, 1847–1853 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-003-2489-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-003-2489-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation