Measurement of nitrophenols in air samples by impinger sampling and supported liquid membrane micro-extraction

A sensitive analytical technique for the detection of trace nitrophenols in air has been developed. The steps in this process are impinger sampling to capture the nitrophenols in an aqueous phase, which is then followed by supported liquid membrane micro-extraction (SLMME) and analytical detection. The nitrophenols were analyzed by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and did not require any derivatization. Method detection limits (MDL) of 0.5-1.0 ng L−1 from aqueous solutions and 3.1-46.7 ppbV from air extractions were observed. The high enrichment of nitrophenol in SLMME allowed low detection limits even with HPLC-UV detection. SLMME is an inexpensive, easy to use procedure that employs disposable membrane fibers.