DETERMINATION OF VOLATILE AMINES IN AIR BY DIFFUSIVE SAMPLING, THIOUREA FORMATION AND HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY

A diffusive sampling method for the determination of primary and secon dary amines in air was evaluated. The sampler consists of a filter, im pregnated with naphthyl isothiocyanate, in a polypropylene housing. A substituted thiourea is formed in situ during sampling, which is desor bed and determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The samp ler was validated for the sampling of methylamine, allylamine, isoprop ylamine, n-butylamine and dimethylamine using standard amine atmospher es, and the uptake rates for the five amines were determined. The effe ct on uptake rate of amine concentration, sampling time and relative h umidity was investigated and found to be small. The detection limits f or the amines studied are below 50 mug/m3 for an 8-h sample.