DETERMINATION OF WATER-SOLUBLE ORGANIC-CO MPOUNDS IN ARCTIC AEROSOLS BY CAPILLARY GC AND GC MS

Water soluble organic compounds in Arctic aerosol samples were analyze d by using capillary gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The car boxyl and aldehyde groups in the bi-functional compounds were derivati zed with 14% BF3/butanol to dibutyl ester and dibutyl acetal, respecti vely. The results showed that oxalic(C-2) acid was the dominant specie s (2 similar to 69 ng/m(3)) followed by malonic(C-3) and succinic(C-4) acids in all samples, from July 1987 to June 1988. Total concentratio ns of dicarboxylic acids were 5 similar to 105 ng/m(3) and showed seas onal variation with a maximum at Arctic sunrise.