Determination of acrylic acid in air by using diffusion denuder tubes combined with HPLC technique

A procedure for the determination of atmospheric acrylic acid in air at the microgram m-3 to mg m-3 level is described. Diffusion-based sampling, designed to discriminate gaseous analytes from their particulate counterparts, has been used. Acrylic acid is collected with an efficiency of > 98% in tubular denuders coated with sodium hydroxide-barium hydroxide-hydroquinone monomethyl ether, and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography with UV absorbance detection. The detection limit is 2.9 micrograms m-3 at a flow rate of 0.5 L min-1 and 30 min sampling time. A precision (p = 0.95, n = 10) of 7.5% of the overall procedure was achieved at the 100 micrograms m-3 level. Results of laboratory studies concerning the effect of the coating reagent and the relative humidity on the sampling efficiency as well as possible interferences, in particular by ozone, and the elimination of these interferences are discussed. This method was developed to monitor workplace atmospheres as well as ambient air in industrial environments.