Determination of polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocyclic compounds in airborne particulate by gas chromatography with atomic emission and mass spectrometric detection

An analytical method is presented for the determination of tetra-, penta- and hexacyclic aromatic sulfur heterocyclic compounds (thiaarenes) in workplace air. Using a clean-up procedure for the isolation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and high-resolution gas chromatography with atomic emission detection, selective detection of thiaarenes was possible in the presence of abundant homocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Applying the method to an indoor air sample from an aluminium melting facility, more than 130 sulfur-containing components were detectable of which 53 components were identified as thiaarenes. Quantification of all identified thiaarenes by using one internal standard was possible due to the compound independent sulfur response of an atomic emission detector. The summarized concentration of all sulfur-containing polycyclic aromatic compounds isolated was found to be 12 mu g/m(3). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.