Evaluation of Coriolis Micro Air Sampling to Detect Volatile and Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Air Quality Monitoring

Background:

• Various analytical procedures exist for monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air, differing primarily in sampling techniques.
• The Coriolis micro air sampler, typically used for biological sampling, presents an alternative for environmental air analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the Coriolis micro bio collector for sampling and detecting organic contaminants in air.
• To compare the Coriolis micro sampling method with a standardized lung box/Nalophan® bag method.
• To assess the combined utility of both sampling techniques for comprehensive VOC analysis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Coriolis micro bio collector for air sampling of organic contaminants.
• Employed Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) for detection and analysis.
• Compared results with a standardized lung box and Nalophan® bag sampling method.
• Validated findings in both controlled laboratory and field settings.

Main Results:

• The Coriolis micro effectively samples and detects semi-volatile organic molecules.
• The lung box/Nalophan® bags are more suitable for sampling highly volatile and volatile molecules.
• Simultaneous use of both methods captures a wider range of molecules with distinct physicochemical properties.
• Results showed slight variations between controlled lab and field conditions.

Conclusions:

• The Coriolis micro is a suitable method for sampling and detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air.
• Alternative sampling methods and non-target analysis are crucial for thorough risk assessment.
• The Coriolis micro enables the detection of emergent molecules, as observed near the Thau lagoon.