Diffusive uptake rates for passive air sampling: Application to volatile organic compound exposure during FIREX-AQ campaign

Passive (diffusive) sampling using sorbents is an economical and versatile method of measuring pollutants in air, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Diffusive uptake rates (UTRs) are needed for each analyte to obtain average concentrations during a specific passive sampling time duration. Here, a simultaneous active/ diffusive ambient air sampling technique on Tenax (R) TA was employed to measure 24-hours, 7, 14 and 28-days UTRs of up to 27 VOCs, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes (BTEX), C6-C12 hydrocarbons, benzenes derivatives, tetrachloroethylene, pinenes and limonene. Samples were analyzed via thermal desorptiongas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) for desired analytes. Seven-day UTR values ranged from 0.17 to 0.59 mL/min and many compounds exhibited a linear relationship with UTR and time duration up to 14 or 28 days. This may be the most comprehensive UTR tabulation of VOCs on Tenax (R) TA for time periods of 24 hours -28 days available. These rates were applied to VOC data measured during the 2019 NASA/NOAA Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality (FIREX-AQ) campaign, with goals to determine the chemical composition of western US wildfire smoke and to assess human exposure to air toxics. Summer 2019 exposure levels of BTEX at five Northwestern cities were low and the cancer risk due to benzene was assessed during FIREX-AQ to be background or 1 x 10-6. The UTRs derived here can be useful in applications of diffusive sampling, including estimation of sub-chronic to chronic human exposure risk of air toxics and wildfire smoke.

Automated summary

Passive sampling using sorbents is a cost-effective method for measuring pollutants in air, such as VOCs. This study measured UTRs of 27 VOCs using a simultaneous active/diffusive sampling technique, finding a linear relationship between UTR and time for many compounds, providing important information for assessing human exposure risks to air toxics.