Suitability of Short- and Long-Term Storage of Volatile Organic Compounds Samples in Syringe-Based Containers: A...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science
• Biomedical Analysis

Background:

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are crucial biomarkers and pollutants.
• Accurate analysis of VOCs requires stable sample storage.
• Existing air containers (AC) may affect analyte integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate three common syringe types as air containers for VOC sample storage.
• To determine the optimal syringe for preserving analyte integrity over time.
• To assess suitability for both short-term transfer and long-term storage.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 99 air samples stored in three syringe types (AC1: glass/glass, AC2: plastic/plastic, AC3: plastic/rubber).
• Gas Chromatography-Ion Mobility Spectrometry (GC-IMS) used to analyze VOCs.
• Principal Component Analysis (PCA) applied to assess changes in VOC profiles over storage times (10 min to 24 h).

Main Results:

• Syringes with rubbered plungers (AC3) showed the highest capacity for preserving analyte stability and integrity.
• AC3 demonstrated superior long-term storage capabilities compared to AC1 and AC2.
• All tested syringes (AC1, AC2, AC3) proved suitable for short-term sample transfer (up to 1 hour).

Conclusions:

• Rubber-plunger syringes (AC3) are recommended for long-term storage of air samples containing VOCs.
• Glass and plastic syringes are adequate for immediate use or short-term sample transfer.
• Proper container selection is critical for reliable VOC analysis in diverse applications.