Analytical reliability of carbonyl compound determination using 1,5-dansylhydrazine-derivatization

Solid sorbents coated with the fluorescent reagent 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfohydrazide (dansylhydrazine, DNSH) have been used for derivatization and quantitative determination of airborne carbonyl compounds, for example in investigations on atmospheric pollution. The evaluation of this derivatization reaction presented here revealed that, for several reasons, it may not be recommended when sampling is performed with impingers containing liquid reagent solutions. Derivative yields came out to be strongly influenced by water and phosphoric acid which are essential for sufficient derivatization rates, but also responsible for the degradation of derivatives. Even at water and acid concentrations considered as an optimal compromise between accelerating and degrading effects, the analytical reliability of the method can only be guaranteed under controlled laboratory conditions. The reduced or lacking reactivity of DNSH towards aromatic aldehydes or aliphatic and aromatic ketones is an additional finding discarding the DNSH method for routine air monitoring at least when impingers are used for sampling.