Quantitative Determination of Phthalate Esters from Air Samples Using a Solid-Phase Extraction-type Collection Device

In this study, a solid-phase extraction-type collection device, with styrene-divinylbenzene polymer particles (Sunpak-H) as the adsorbent, was used for the quantitative determination of phthalate esters in air samples. The collection and elution recoveries of eight volatile phthalate esters, i.e., dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, dipropyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, butyl-benzyl phthalate, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, and dioctyl phthalate, were quantitatively evaluated. All analytes were collected using the device up to a sampling volume of 10000 L at a sampling temperature of 35°C without breakthrough. During air collection, moisture was not trapped on the adsorbent. The collected analytes were completely eluted from the device by passing 3 mL of acetone. The eluted solvent was injected into a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry system after the eluted solvent was concentrated, if necessary. After washing the adsorbent using acetone, the device could be reused more than 50 times. The limit of quantification for the analytes was less than 1 ng L−1 in air at a sampling volume of 600 L with solvent concentration. This device was successfully applied for the quantitative determination of phthalate esters in real air samples, including indoor and in-car air.