Abstract
The authors have developed a simple and convenient analytical method for determination of 12 kinds of offensive odor substances (acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, iso-butyraldehyde, butyraldehyde, iso-valeraldehyde, valeraldehyde, ethylacetate, iso-butanol, methyl iso-butyl ketone, toluene, xylenes, styrene) in air. A glass tube (4 mm i.d.) packed with 80 mg of Tenax TA (35/60 mesh) and 150 mg of Carboxen 569 (25/45 mesh) was used to collect the substances. After collecting them, the tube was set to an automatic thermal desorption device (ATD). Using thermal desorption, the analytes were introduced into GC; they were then determined by GC/MS-SIM. The overall recoveries were up to 91%, and the relative standard deviations were 2.27.8%. This method was applied to determine offensive odor substances in not only ambient air, but also emission flue gas of a factory. The method can determine analytes at sub ppb levels, which are 1/102 to 1/105 times as low as the most strict regulation standards in The Offensive Odor Control Law. The collected samples were stable for 3 days.
