The quantitative determination of acrylonitrile, acrolein, acetonitrile and acetone in workplace air

A simple and sensitive procedure for the routine determination of personnel exposures to organic vapors in the workplace has been developed using porous polymer adsorption/thermal desorption with a subsequent analysis by gas chromatography. Detailed instructions for the packing of the adsorption tube and the operation of the thermal concentrator (flasher) are given. Calibration data obtained with both a static on tube injection procedure and a dynamic method using a permeation device are discussed. More than two years of experience with 6000 samples involving a wide variety of compounds has shown the sensitivity and versatility of the techniques. The additional equipment involved is commercially available costing about $2000.