Determination of individual biogenic volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere at short time intervals by a combination of in-situ continuous sampling using wet diffusion denuder and off-line laboratory analysis

Determination of individual biogenic volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere at short time intervals by a combination of in-situ continuous sampling using wet diffusion denuder and off-line laboratory analysis

Článek WoS

Background: Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) play a key role in atmospheric chemistry and air quality. Accurate quantification of individual BVOCs remains challenging due to their volatility and reactivity in atmosphere. In this study, a wet diffusion denuder used for the continuous sampling of BVOCs into an absorption liquid was evaluated under controlled laboratory conditions in order to determine the collection efficiencies for a large number of BVOCs. All samples with collected BVOCs were offline analysed using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Results: The influence of denuder temperature, air flow rate, relative humidity, type of absorption liquid, and liquid flow rate was systematically investigated. Optimal conditions for field application were selected as a denuder temperature of 20 degrees C, an air flow rate of 500 mL/min, n-heptane as the absorption liquid, and a liquid flow rate of 0.40 mL/min. Under these conditions, collection efficiencies for most BVOCs exceeded 89 %. Field sampling conducted at two contrasting sites, an agricultural location and a spruce forest, confirmed the applicability of the method and highlighted large differences in monoterpene concentrations between environments. A connection of denuder output with automatic sample collector enables long-term fully automatic sampling of BVOCs in the air at short time intervals. The temporal resolution sampling allows the study of rapid changes in BVOC concentrations in the air. Significance: A key advantage of the method is that it minimizes the exposure of captured BVOCs in an absorption liquid (n-heptane) to airborne oxidants, thereby reducing the risk of photochemical reaction with air oxidants during sampling, and also the determination of the concentration of individual BVOCs using off-line gas chro-matography with mass spectrometry analysis.

Background: Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) play a key role in atmospheric chemistry and air quality. Accurate quantification of individual BVOCs remains challenging due to their volatility and reactivity in atmosphere. In this study, a wet diffusion denuder used for the continuous sampling of BVOCs into an absorption liquid was evaluated under controlled laboratory conditions in order to determine the collection efficiencies for a large number of BVOCs. All samples with collected BVOCs were offline analysed using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Results: The influence of denuder temperature, air flow rate, relative humidity, type of absorption liquid, and liquid flow rate was systematically investigated. Optimal conditions for field application were selected as a denuder temperature of 20 degrees C, an air flow rate of 500 mL/min, n-heptane as the absorption liquid, and a liquid flow rate of 0.40 mL/min. Under these conditions, collection efficiencies for most BVOCs exceeded 89 %. Field sampling conducted at two contrasting sites, an agricultural location and a spruce forest, confirmed the applicability of the method and highlighted large differences in monoterpene concentrations between environments. A connection of denuder output with automatic sample collector enables long-term fully automatic sampling of BVOCs in the air at short time intervals. The temporal resolution sampling allows the study of rapid changes in BVOC concentrations in the air. Significance: A key advantage of the method is that it minimizes the exposure of captured BVOCs in an absorption liquid (n-heptane) to airborne oxidants, thereby reducing the risk of photochemical reaction with air oxidants during sampling, and also the determination of the concentration of individual BVOCs using off-line gas chro-matography with mass spectrometry analysis.

Biogenic volatile organic compounds, Monoterpenes, Denuder, Forest air, Automated sampling

Biogenic volatile organic compounds, Monoterpenes, Denuder, Forest air, Automated sampling

KRUMAL, K.; HANDLÍŘOVÁ, G.; MIKUSKA, P.

01.02.2026

Analytica Chimica Acta

1385

1 February 2026

Nizozemsko

8

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2025.345002