Sample preparation of atmospheric aerosol for the determination of carbonyl compounds

Sample preparation including sonication and solid phase extraction has been developed for the determination of carbonyl compounds in atmospheric aeros ol. Aerosol samples were sonicated in acidified acetonitrile containing 2,4 -dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) to form hydrazone derivatives of aldehydes a nd ketones. Water was added to the extract to increase its polarity. Then t he solution was passed through an octadecyl or phenyl solid phase extractio n cartridge. The concentrated hydrazone derivatives were eluted with tetrah ydrofuran, the eluate was evaporated to dryness then dissolved in acetonitr ile/water mixture and finally analysed by RP-HPLC with UV detection at 360 nm. The absolute detection limits of the individual carbonyl compounds rang e from 0.4 to 5.8 ng. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.