Abstract
Conventionally, simultaneous analysis of formaldehyde and other VOCs requires separate analytical systems (HPLC and GC/MS), leading to increased analytical labor and reduced efficiency. This study aims to develop a passive sampling method capable of simultaneously collecting and analyzing formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor environments. To resolve this issue, we derivatized formaldehyde from o-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine hydrochloride (PFBHA) and applied GC/MS measurements to passive sampling. A mixture of PFBHA-impregnated silica gel and activated carbon was used as an adsorbent to stabilize the sampling rate (SR) under high humidity. The optimal adsorbent ratio was determined to be 300 mg:300 mg (activated carbon:silica gel), and the SR for each VOC was calculated through exposure testing. The results demonstrated high sampling rates of 0.115 and 0.247 L/min for toluene and formaldehyde, respectively. Moreover, the SR remained stable within a variation of ±15% across a humidity range of 10–80% RH and a temperature range of 15–35 °C, indicating minimal impact on quantification. This method enables simple and highly sensitive VOC monitoring and is a useful tool for indoor air quality monitoring.
