COMPARISON OF STRIPPING COIL AND CONDENSATE TECHNIQUES FOR THE COLLECTION OF GAS-PHASE HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE, WITH APPLICATIONS OF CONDENSATE COLLECTION IN AND OFF THE COAST OF NORTH-CAROLINA

Hydrogen peroxide concentrations obtained by a commonly used stripping coil method were compared with data obtained by the method of collect ion and analysis of atmospheric condensate. Good agreement was achieve d between gas-phase hydrogen peroxide concentrations obtained by each method over the concentration range from 0.1 to 1.8 ppb; the average d eviation between the analytical results and the mean of those results was 10%. The deviations between concentrations obtained by each method were random, suggesting no systematic differences. Because of this an alytical agreement and the versatility of the condensate collection te chnique, this method was employed in several field applications. Gas-p hase hydrogen peroxide concentrations were determined from condensate samples collected during the summers of 1994 and 1995 in and near Wilm ington, NC. Concentrations were not statistically different (t-test, p < 0.05) in samples collected at the Wilmington reference site relativ e to a nearby salt marsh. Gas-phase hydrogen peroxide concentrations w ere lower at an automobile traffic-impacted site relative to this refe rence site. Midday net production Fates at sea over the Gulf Stream an d Sargasso Sea (110 + 55 ppt/h) were one-quarter of those on land (440 + 230 ppt/h) during comparable times, in agreement with prior strippi ng coil results.