| Contents Notes |
"This study was designed to provide information on the organic aerosol pollutants in the Houston, Texas, area. The Research Triangle Institute (RTI) was responsible for qualitative and quantitative analysis of ambient air aerosols and vapor samples collected in the Houston area by the Radian Corporation of Austin, Texas. Three different types of samplers were used: high volume (hi-vol) and dichotomous samplers were employed to collect particulates, and resin-trap samplers (developed at the Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute and known as IITRI samplers) were employed to collect vapor-phase organic samples. Filters and sorbent resins were shipped to RTI following field sampling. A total of 23 samples were analyzed: 12 filter and adsorbent trap samples, 5 dichotomous samples, and 6 hi-vol samples. Hi-vol samples were extracted and solvent-partitioned prior to analysis by glass capillary gas chromatography/ massspectrometry (GC/MS). Dichotomous filters were extracted and the concentrated extracts analyzed directly by GC/MS. Vapors were analyzed by thermal desorption from the resin bed followed by GC/MS. Analyses showed the presence of many saturated and unsaturated materials in all samples. The extracts from hi-vol filters contained small quantities of organics, and their analysis was complicated by the presence of background contaminants tentatively identified as siloxanes. Results from the dichotomous samples indicated insufficient collection of material for comprehensive air analysis. Vapor-phase organics collected in IITRI samples consisted predominantly of hydrocarbons, alkylated benzenes, and some chlorinated compounds. Quantitative analysis was carried out for selected components from each sample type." |
