Abstract
Applications of a high-resolution gas chromatograph/high-resolution mass spectrometer (HRGC/HRMS) have been examined with regard to the precise determination of various kinds of pesticides in air to low concentrations. The results for a comparison of the resolution of mass spectrometry indicated that the signal-noise ratio for pesticides in the standard solution improved for 21 of 28 kinds of pesticides at high resolution (R=5000). In addition, interfering substances readily influence the chromatograms of actual samples, though these substances were excluded from almost all of the pesticides due to improved resolution. This HRGC/HRMS method allowed an actual determination of pesticides in air. The collection of 10 m3 of air was performed with activated carbon tube collection. Following extraction, fractionation was performed with a florisil column. Sensitive and selective determinations to the order of 10-3 μg/m3 proved to be possible with respect to samples concentrated to 1 ml.
