Determination of polydimethylsiloxane-air partition coefficients using headspace sorptive extraction

Polydimethylsiloxane-air partition coefficients (KPDMS-A) were determined using direct headspace analysis and headspace sorptive extraction (HSSE) with polydimethylsiloxane-coated (PDMS) stir bars. The partition coefficients were investigated for three compounds, p-dichlorobenzene (PDCB), naphthalene and camphor, all of which sublimate at room temperature and find use as moth repellents. In order to determine the KPDMS-A values of these compounds, the air concentration and the concentration present on PDMS, both at equilibrium, were measured. The results indicate that PDMS-air partition coefficients are proportional to octanol-air partition coefficients. Thus, the latter could be used to estimate the extraction efficiency of PDMS for these compounds in air. Alternatively, octanol-air partition coefficients for organic compounds could be estimated from the PDMS-air partition coefficient values. As expected, the PDMS-air (or octanol-air) partition coefficient increased with decreasing temperature. Importantly, the partition coefficients determined at saturated vapor pressures were lower than the values determined at lower analyte concentrations, with the differences being greater for compounds with larger partition coefficients. Consequently, caution should be exercised when applying KPDMS-A values determined at high analyte concentrations to measurements at lower concentrations, especially when the partition coefficients are large.