Determination of Semivolatile Organic Compounds in Particles in the Grand Canyon Area

Abstract

Several diffusion denuder-filter-sorbent bed and filter-sorbent bed sampling systems with varying selectivity for the collection of different classes of organic compounds have been used for the collection and determination of atmospheric organic material present at Hopi Point in the Grand Canyon. The data show that the amount of semivolatile organic compounds in particles in the atmosphere in the Southwest United States has been underestimated by sampling with only a filter. The collection of gas-phase organic compounds by the filter causes a small positive artifact. However, a much larger, negative error results from the loss of 40%–80% of the organic material in the particles collected by the filter. The concentration of organic particulate matter present at the Hopi Point site is probably about 2 μg/m3 larger than inferred from previous data.