A rapid vacuum-based method for measuring equilibrium sorption partition coefficients of SVOCs between surfaces and...

Accurate surface-air partition coefficients (K) of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) are crucial for understanding their fate, transport, and human exposure, as well as for applications in passive sampling, air purification, and sensor design. However, K data remain limited, primarily due to the time-consuming nature of conventional measurement methods. To address this limitation, we developed a novel vacuum-based chamber approach that enables rapid, accurate, and high-throughput determination of K values for SVOCs. Operating under low-pressure conditions to reduce boundary-layer resistance, this method accelerates sorption equilibration, shortening experimental time from weeks to hours. Our results confirm that pressure variations did not affect K values, consistent with theoretical expectations and supporting measurement accuracy. We applied the method to nine SVOCs across five surface materials. Both single-compound and mixture sorption experiments yielded K values in strong agreement with literature data, further validating the method's reliability. For permeable materials, K values under mixture conditions deviated by less than 6.5 % from those under single-compound conditions, confirming the method's high-throughput capability. This approach provides a powerful tool for efficiently determining SVOC partitioning across diverse materials, facilitating the development of predictive models for K values and enabling more accurate exposure assessments, material screening, and regulatory evaluations.