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Anders Colmsjö

Publications and source records attributed to Anders Colmsjö.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Evaluation of solid-phase microextraction with PDMS for air sampling of gaseous organophosphate flame-retardants and plasticizers.

As an inexpensive, simple, and low-solvent consuming extraction technique, the suitability of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sorbent was investigated as a quantitative method for sampling gaseous organophosphate triesters in air. These compounds have become ubiquitous in indoor air, because of their widespread use as additive flame retardants/plasticizers in various indoor materials. Results obtained by sampling these compounds at controlled air concentrations using SPME and active sampling on glass fibre filters were compared to evaluate the method. A constant linear airflow of 10 cm s(-1) over the fibres was applied to increase the extraction rate. For extraction of triethyl phosphate with a 100-microm PDMS fibre, equilibrium was achieved after 8 h. The limit of detection was determined to be less than 10 pg m(-3). The PDMS-air partition coefficients, Kfs, for the individual organophosphate triesters were determined to be in the range 5-60 x 10(6) at room temperature (22-23 degrees C). Air measurements were performed utilising the determined coefficients for quantification. In samples taken from a lecture room four different airborne organophosphate esters were identified, the most abundant of which was tris(chloropropyl) phosphate, at the comparatively high level of 1.1 microg m(-3). The results from SPME and active sampling had comparable repeatability (RSD less than 17%), and the determined concentrations were also similar. The results suggest that the investigated compounds were almost entirely associated with the gaseous phase at the time and place sampled.

Adsorption↗

Air sampling of organophosphate triesters using SPME under non-equilibrium conditions.

Solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) was used to collect air samples of semi-volatile organophosphate triesters, a group of compounds that are commonly used as flame retardants/plasticisers and have therefore become ubiquitous indoor air pollutants. SPME is a simple sampling technique with several major advantages, including time-efficiency and low solvent consumption. Analyte losses also tend to be relatively low. In quantitative SPME, measurements are normally taken after the analyte has reached partitioning equilibrium between the fibre and the sample matrix. However, equilibrium sampling of semi-volatile compounds in air with SPME often takes several hours. Clearly, time-weighted average (TWA) sampling using SPME under non-equilibrium conditions could be considerably faster. So, in this study, the possibility of sampling organophosphate triesters under non-equilibrium conditions was tested. The most important variables proved to be the fibre coating and the air velocity during sampling. The highest uptake rate was obtained with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, 100 microm). The rate for this fibre was 150-fold higher than obtained with PDMS/DVB and Carbowax/DVB, both 65 microm. Contrary to theoretical expectations, the uptake rate appeared to be constant for all tested air velocities over the fibre surface >7 cm/s. These findings suggest that the uptake rate for non-equilibrium SPME sampling is independent of the sampling flow above this flow rate, which would considerably enhance the robustness and flexibility of the method. Applying this method for TWA sampling, with sampling periods of 1 h, detection limits lower than 2 ng/m(3) for individual organophosphate esters were obtained.

Journal Article↗

Enhanced detection of nitroaromatic explosive vapors combining solid-phase extraction-air sampling, supercritical fluid extraction, and large-volume injection-GC.

A complete method for sampling and analyzing of energetic compounds in the atmosphere is described. The method consists of the hyphenation of several techniques: active air sampling using a solid-phase extraction cartridge to collect the analytes, extraction of the sorbed analytes by toluene/methyl tert-butyl ether modified supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), and analysis of the extract by large-volume injection GC-nitrogen/phosphorus detection. The GC system is equipped with a loop-type injection interface with an early solvent vapor exit, a utilizing concurrent solvent evaporation technique. Chemometric approaches, based on a Plackett-Burman screening design and a central composite design for response surface modeling, were used to determine the optimum SFE conditions. The relative standard deviations of the optimized method were determined to be 4.3 to 7.7%, giving raise to method detection limits ranging from 0.06 to 0.36 ng in the sampling cartridge, equivalent to 6.2-36.4 pg/L in the atmosphere, standard sampling volume 10 L. The analytical method was applied to characterize headspace composition above military grade trinitrotoluene (TNT). Results confirm that 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) and 1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB) constitute the largest vapor flux, but TNT, 2,6-DNT, and trinitrobenzene TNB were also consistently detected in all the samples.

Journal Article↗

Determination of organophosphate esters in air samples by dynamic sonication-assisted solvent extraction coupled on-line with large-volume injection gas chromatography utilizing a programmed-temperature vaporizer.

An on-line method for the determination of airborne organophosphate esters based on dynamic sonication-assisted solvent extraction and large-volume injection (LVI) gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorous detection is introduced. The LVI is performed with a programmed-temperature vaporizer. The entire extracted fraction of 800 microl (hexane-methyl-tert.-butyl ether, 7:3, v/v) is introduced directly into the GC system without any clean-up step following extraction. The extraction and analysis step were completed in less than 15 min. The limit of detection of the investigated organophosphate esters was established to be in the range of 5-32 pg/filter. The correlation coefficients (r2) were investigated in the linear range study of the entire system and established to be approximately 0.9900 for all the investigated organophosphates esters. Applications of the method was demonstrated with the extraction of air samples collected onto glass fiber filters from different indoor environments. Six organophosphate esters were found at the levels 0.4-138 ng/m3.

Air↗

Dynamic microwave-assisted extraction coupled on-line with solid-phase extraction and large-volume injection gas chromatography: determination of organophosphate esters in air samples.

An on-line method was developed for the extraction, cleanup, and analysis of airborne organophosphate esters collected on glass fiber filters. The extraction and cleanup step was performed by conducting the dynamic microwave-assisted extraction (DMAE) coupled to solid-phase extraction (SPE). This system was further connected to include large-volume injection gas chromatography. The Injection interface was a programmable temperature vaporizer. The system performance test was investigated using spiked glass fiber filters. The DMAE-SPE recovery of the organophosphate esters was found to be greater than 97%. The repeatability of the uncorrected peak areas and the retention times was determined to be 4.2-8.0 and 0.03% relative standard deviation, respectively, and limits of detection were in the range 61-186.2 pg/m3. The method was tested in a newly restored office, in which several of the targeted organophosphate esters were detected. The total sampling and analysis time was less than 1.5 h.

Air Pollutants↗

Effects of thermal degradation products from polyurethane foams based on toluene diisocyanate and diphenylmethane diisocyanate on isolated, perfused lung of guinea pig.

OBJECTIVES: The composition of thermal degradation products from two types of polyurethane foams, one based on toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and the other on diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), was analyzed and their toxic lung effects were compared. METHODS: Isolated perfused lungs of guinea pig were subjected to thermal decomposition products of polyurethane foams from an aerosol generator with compartments for diluting, mixing, and sampling. RESULTS: Thermal degradation of MDI-based polyurethane foams released MDI, phenyl isocyanate, and methyl isocyanate. The emitted particulate fraction was 75% for MDI, whereas that for TDI from TDI-based polyurethane foam was 3%. Thermal degradation products from MDI-based foam caused a pronounced dose-dependent decrease in the measured lung function parameters (conductance and compliance). In contrast, the thermal degradation products from TDI-based foam did not cause any decrease in lung function. CONCLUSIONS: Thermal degradation products generated from MDI-based polyurethane foam were more toxic to the lung than those generated from TDI-based polyurethane foam. This difference was probable due to MDI in the particle phase.

Aerosols↗

Dynamic microwave-assisted extraction coupled on-line with solid-phase extraction: determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediment and soil.

This paper describes a new extraction tool for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil and sediment samples, using dynamic microwave-assisted extraction combined with solid-phase extraction (DMAE-SPE). The critical variables for DMAE-SPE are investigated and optimized in an experimental design. The technique proved to be fast, accurate and able to yield quantitative extraction of PAHs from naturally contaminated sediment and soil samples. The set-up is fully automated and features monitored extraction, which facilitates rapid optimization of the method. In addition, only small quantities of solvent and sample are required.

Chromatography, Gas↗

On-line coupling of supercritical fluid extraction with high-performance liquid chromatography for the determination of explosives in vapour phases.

An analytical method for determining nitroaromatic explosives in vapour phases is presented. Samples were collected by pumping air through glass fibre filters and polyurethane foam adsorbents, and an on-line extraction system combining supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed. This allows analytes to be transferred from the adsorbent to the HPLC system via a porous graphitic carbon trap. When using gradient elution with a suitable mobile phase, most of the nitroaromatic isomers tested were separated. The proposed method is fully automated, allows a complete analysis to be processed in less than 30 min, and it is compatible with most of the organic solvents commonly used as SFE modifiers or additives. The method has been applied to the analysis of real samples obtained from headspace sampling of military-grade 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene and has been shown to constitute a promising alternative for assessing whether areas are mined in landmine-clearing operations.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Dynamic sonication-assisted solvent extraction of organophosphate esters in air samples.

A new system for extracting solid samples based on dynamic sonication-assisted solvent extraction (DSASE) is described. The technique is highly efficient with respect to both time and solvent consumption. In tests reported here, organophosphate esters were extracted from air sampling filters in 3 min with an extraction volume of 600 microL of solvent. Furthermore, it was possible to replace a previously used chlorinated solvent with a halogen-free solvent mixture. The sample was placed in a cartridge through which fresh solvent was pumped continuously. A restrictor connected to the outlet of the cartridge allowed the system to be used at a temperature of 70 degrees C without reaching the boiling point of the solvent. Both spiked and non-spiked native samples were used for the evaluation, which clearly revealed a stronger analyte-matrix interaction in native samples. The DSASE technique was shown to recover larger amounts of organophosphate esters from native samples, compared to a static method. DSASE was applied to air samples collected in a lecture hall and from above a computer monitor.

Air↗