GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHIC MASS-SPECTROMETRIC DETERMINATION OF NITRO POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS IN AIRBORNE PARTICULATE MATTER FROM WORKPLACE ATMOSPHERES CONTAMINATED WITH DIESEL EXHAUST

A method is described for the determination of 1-nitropyrene and 2-nit rofluorene in low volume ambient air samples (1-150 m(3)). This method is based on acetone extraction by sonication followed by solid-phase fractionation on silica gel, nitroreduction, derivatization with hepta fluorobutyric anhydride and analysis with gas chromatography-mass spec trometry. On-line zinc reduction of nitroarenes was compared with a ne wly developed reduction by sodium hydrosulfide hydrate. This method wa s validated by the analysis of air samples collected from the atmosphe re of workplaces associated with the use of diesel engines, samples fr om chassis dynamometer studies, and standard reference materials (1587 and 1650).