Development of a thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method for determination of styrene in air. Application to workplace air

Styrene is a compound commonly used in several industries, especially in th ose that manufacture glass-reinforced products. A thermal desorption-gas ch romatography-mass spectrometry method for determination of styrene in indus trial indoor and outdoor air is presented. Split valves of the thermal deso rption unit were fixed at flows of 150 mL/min for indoor air and 5.3 mL/min for outdoor air, which regarded detection limits of 1.21 and 0.08 ng of ad sorbed compound, respectively. The method was checked at a fibreglass boat manufacturing workshop. Samples were taken by diffusive and active sampling . Both methods were applied to outdoor samplings with similar results, whil e indoor samples were taken by diffusive sampling. Results confirm industri al activity as main styrene source in the workplace studied and its surroun ding area.