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Determination of a wide range of volatile and semivolatile organic compounds in snow by use of solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME)

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Abstract

Quantification and transformation of organic compounds are pivotal in understanding atmospheric processes, because such compounds contribute to the oxidative capacity of the atmosphere and drive climate change. It has recently been recognized that chemical reactions in snow play a role in the production or destruction of photolabile volatile organic compounds (VOC). We present an environmentally friendly method for determination of VOC and semi-VOC in snow collected at three sites—remote, urban, and (sub-)arctic. A solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) procedure was developed and (semi-)VOC were identified by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC–MS). A broad spectrum of (semi-)VOC was found in snow samples, including aldehydes, and aromatic and halogenated compounds. Quantification was performed for 12 aromatic and/or oxygenated compounds frequently observed in snow by use of neat standard solutions. The concentrations detected were between 0.12 (styrene and ethylbenzene) and 316 μg L−1 (toluene) and limits of detection varied between 0.11 (styrene) and 1.93 μg L−1 (benzaldehyde). These results indicate that the SPME technique presented is a broad but selective, versatile, solvent-free, ecological, economical, and facile method of analysis for (semi-)VOC in natural snow samples.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support from the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and Environment Canada (EC) is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, McGill University, 805 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, H3A 2K6, Canada

    Gregor Kos & Parisa A. Ariya

  2. Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, H3A 2K6, Canada

    Parisa A. Ariya

Authors
  1. Gregor Kos
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  2. Parisa A. Ariya
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Correspondence to Parisa A. Ariya.

Appendix Calibration plot for ethylbenzene (n=5, error bars represent ±3σ, r=0.9994)

Appendix Calibration plot for ethylbenzene (n=5, error bars represent ±3σ, r=0.9994)

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Kos, G., Ariya, P.A. Determination of a wide range of volatile and semivolatile organic compounds in snow by use of solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME). Anal Bioanal Chem 385, 57–66 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-006-0333-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-006-0333-5

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