Detection of volatile organic peroxides in indoor air

A supercritical fluid extraction cell filled with adsorbent (Carbotrap and Carbotrap C) was used directly as a sampling tube to enrich volatile organic compounds in air. After sampling, the analytes were extracted by supercritical fluid CO2 with methanol as modifier. Collected organic peroxides were then determined by a RP-HPLC method developed and validated previously using post-column derivatization and fluorescence detection. Some volatile organic peroxides were found in indoor air in a new car and a newly decorated kitchen in the lower microg m(-3) range. tert-Butyl perbenzoate, di-tert-butyl peroxide, and tert-butylcumyl peroxide could be identified.