Novel sample preparation technique with needle-type micro-extraction device for volatile organic compounds in indoor air samples

A novel needle-type sample preparation device was developed for the effective preconcentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air before gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. To develop a device for extracting a wide range of VOCs typically found in indoor air, several types of particulate sorbents were tested as the extraction medium in the needle-type extraction device. To determine the content of these VOCs, air samples were collected for 30 min with the packed sorbent(s) in the extraction needle, and the extracted VOCs were thermally desorbed in a GC injection port by the direct insertion of the needle. A double-bed sorbent consisting of a needle packed with divinylbenzene and activated carbon particles exhibited excellent extraction and desorption performance and adequate extraction capacity for all the investigated VOCs. The results also clearly demonstrated that the proposed sample preparation method is a more rapid, simpler extraction/desorption technique than traditional sample preparation methods.

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► A novel needle-type particle-packed extraction device was developed.
► The extraction needle was designed for preconcentration of indoor air VOCs prior to GC–MS analysis.
► The needle showed excellent extraction and desorption performances for several VOCs.
► Sufficient storage performance of the extracted VOCs in the needle was also demonstrated.
► The results of the real indoor air samples obtained by the needle have a good agreement with the results by a conventional method.