A solid sorbent air sampling and analytical procedure for methyl-, dimethyl-, ethyl-, and diethylamine

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Low molecular weight aliphatic amines are common air pollutants.
• Traditional sampling and analysis methods for these amines present challenges.
• Accurate monitoring is crucial for assessing air quality and potential health risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a robust sampling and analytical procedure for methyl-, dimethyl-, ethyl-, and diethylamine.
• To overcome limitations of existing methods for low molecular weight aliphatic amines.
• To provide a reliable technique for airborne amine determination.

Main Methods:

• Air samples collected using adsorbent tubes (Amberlite XAD-7) coated with NBD chloride.
• Analysis via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence and/or UV/visible detection.
• Simultaneous monitoring of four specific aliphatic amines.

Main Results:

• The developed method effectively samples and analyzes methyl-, dimethyl-, ethyl-, and diethylamine.
• Sample collection and storage are unaffected by humidity, with stability for at least two weeks at room temperature.
• The method demonstrated reliable performance for amine concentrations from 0.5 to 30 ppm in 10-liter air samples.

Conclusions:

• This NBD chloride derivatization and HPLC method provides an efficient and stable approach for airborne aliphatic amine analysis.
• The technique shows significant promise for the detection of other low molecular weight primary and secondary aliphatic amines.
• It offers a valuable tool for environmental monitoring and occupational exposure assessment.