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Comparison of quartz and Teflon filters for simultaneous collection of size-separated ultrafine aerosol particles and gas-phase zero samples

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Abstract

In this research, the two most common filter media, quartz and Teflon, were tested to obtain information about the possible adsorption of gas-phase compounds onto filters during long sample collection of atmospheric aerosols. Particles of nanometer-size for off-line chemical characterization were collected using a recently introduced differential mobility analyzer for size separation. Samples were collected at an urban site (Helsinki, SMEARIII station) during spring 2010. Sampling time was 4 to 10 days for particles 50, 40, or 30 nm in diameter. Sample air flow was 4 L/min. The sampling setup was arranged so that two samples were obtained for each sampling period almost simultaneously: one containing particles and adsorbed gas-phase compounds and one containing adsorbed gas-phase compounds only. Filters were extracted and analyzed for the presence of selected carboxylic acids, polyols, nitrogen-containing compounds, and aldehydes. The results showed that, in quartz filter samples, gas-phase adsorption may be responsible for as much as 100% of some compound masses. Whether quartz or Teflon, simultaneous collection of gas-phase zero samples is essential during the whole sampling period. The dependence of the adsorption of gas-phase compounds on vapor pressure and the effect of adsorption on the deposited aerosol layer are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Academy of Finland Center of Excellence program (project number 1118615). Financial support was also provided by the Emil Aaltonen Foundation. We thank Totti Laitinen and Tuuli Karhu for assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, PO Box 55, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Jevgeni Parshintsev, Jose Ruiz-Jimenez, Kari Hartonen & Marja-Liisa Riekkola

  2. Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, P O Box 64, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Tuukka Petäjä & Markku Kulmala

Authors
  1. Jevgeni Parshintsev
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  2. Jose Ruiz-Jimenez
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  3. Tuukka Petäjä
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  4. Kari Hartonen
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  5. Markku Kulmala
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  6. Marja-Liisa Riekkola
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Correspondence to Marja-Liisa Riekkola.

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Parshintsev, J., Ruiz-Jimenez, J., Petäjä, T. et al. Comparison of quartz and Teflon filters for simultaneous collection of size-separated ultrafine aerosol particles and gas-phase zero samples. Anal Bioanal Chem 400, 3527–3535 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-5041-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-5041-0

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