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A novel method for determination of low molecular weight dicarboxylic acids in background atmospheric aerosol using ion chromatography.

Tsai YI, Hsieh LY, Weng TH, Ma YC, Kuo SC

Department of Environmental Engineering and Science, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, 60, Sec. 1, Erh-Jen Road, Jen-Te, Tainan 717, Taiwan. mtsaiyi@mail.chna.edu.tw

This paper describes a novel gradient elution ion chromatographic method using a Dionex AS11 system for the determination of low molecular weight dicarboxylic acids (low-M(w) DCAs) in background atmospheric aerosol. Interference with the oxalic acid peak from sulfate in background PM(2.5) aerosol, 15.8 times the oxalic acid concentration, was remedied by removing sulfate using a barium cartridge, whilst interference with the malonic acid peak from carbonate was reduced by using a carbonate removal device. An alternative remedy to sulfate interference was use of an AS14 system using isocratic eluent, and this produced good resolution of oxalic acid from a high sulfate peak. In both the AS11 and the AS14 system, linear correlation coefficients were at all times >0.9990 with excellent linear range, the recoveries ranged from 92.8 to 106%, with relative standard deviation of 3.67-6.30%, whilst method detection limits (MDLs) ranged from 0.36microgL(-1) for malic acid to 3.87microgL(-1) for maleic acid. These data indicate that the analytical methods developed herein produce excellent separation efficiency and good determination of low-M(w) DCAs with satisfactory accuracy, recoveries, and MDLs. Samples left at room temperature (20 degrees C) for 300min in a simulation of the 'waiting time' involved in the proposed IC analysis decayed to between 86% (oxalic acid) and 39% (succinic and malonic acids) of their original concentration, whilst at 4 degrees C concentrations remained at 96-101% of original, indicating that maintaining samples at a low temperature prior to injection into the IC analyzer is vital for obtaining accurate results when analyzing low-M(w) DCAs. Oxalic acid was found to be the most prevalent low-M(w) DCA in background aerosol, comprising 57% of the total low-M(w) DCAs and 0.959% of the PM(2.5) aerosol mass, followed by succinic acid and malonic acid.

Published 1 September 2008 in Anal Chim Acta, 626(1): 78-88.
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