Air sampling methods for s-tetrachloroethane and other related chlorinated hydrocarbons

An acid-treated Pittsburgh Activated Carbon (PAC) tube for sampling s-tetrachloroethane in air is described that minimizes sample losses through dehydrogenation and dehydrohalogenation reactions. Commercially prepared NIOSH characoal, untreated PAC, and acid-treated PAC tubes are compared as to their effectiveness in stabilizing s-tetrachloroethane. Common homologues and analogues of s-tetrachloroethane cause no interference with the gas chromatographic method. -n addition the effectiveness of the untreated PAC and acid-treated PAC tubes was also evaluated for four different chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons.