Development of a personal dual-phase air sampling method for phthalate diesters

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Occupational Health
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Phthalates are widely used plasticizers with documented human exposure, particularly high in occupational settings.
• Workplace phthalate exposure can occur via aerosols or vapors, necessitating effective air sampling techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a dual-phase air sampling method for six specific phthalates (DMP, DEP, DBP, BzBP, DEHP, DnOP).
• To assess the method's performance, including limits of detection, quantification, recovery, and accuracy under various conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a dual-phase sampling approach with a quartz fiber filter and XAD-2 resin.
• Employed Soxhlet extraction with a surrogate and quantified phthalates using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with an internal standard.

Main Results:

• Established limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) for six phthalates.
• Achieved mean recoveries of 85-104% for DBP, BzBP, DEHP, and DnOP, and 74-81% for DMP and DEP after air passage.
• Demonstrated better phthalate recovery after 62-day storage at -21°C compared to 21°C.
• Method accuracy ranged from 11-18% for DBP, BzBP, DEHP, and DnOP, and 28-29% for DMP and DEP.

Conclusions:

• The developed dual-phase air sampling method is effective for quantifying multiple phthalates in workplace air.
• The method shows good accuracy for several phthalates, with improved recovery for DMP and DEP when air is actively sampled.
• Storage at lower temperatures enhances phthalate stability in collected samples.