Rapid Determination of TO-15 Volatile Organic Compounds in Air

Abstract

The following study evaluated the efficacy of using Nutech’s 8900DS preconcentrator in combination with an analytical system based on a 30 m x 0.32 mm x 1.00 µm Rxi^®-5Sil MS column for analysis of VOCs in whole air. Results were assessed based on five criteria outlined for time-integrated, whole air canister sampling in the United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Compendium Method TO-15 (Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds [VOCs] in Air Collected in Specially-Prepared Canisters and Analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry [GC-MS]). Canister blank concentrations were <0.2 ppbv; the average relative standard deviation (RSD) of calibration relative response factors (RRFs) was 9.31%; average scan and selected ion monitoring (SIM) method detection limits (MDLs) were 0.06 ppbv and 35.9 pptv, respectively; average replicate precision was 4.29% difference; and average audit accuracy for all 65 targeted TO-15 VOCs was -2.82%. These performance levels for VOC analysis of air met all Method TO-15 guidelines and were achieved using a 30 m x 0.32 mm x 1.00 µm Rxi^®-5Sil MS column with 16.5 minute GC analysis times (~22 min total sample throughput times).