An integrated approach for the chemical characterization and oxidative potential assessment of indoor PM2.5

• Multi-component analysis in the same indoor PM2.5 collected on quartz fiber filters
• Focus on potentially health relevant elements, organic/elemental carbon in PM2.5
• Increased sampling flow rates to overcome filter blank contribution to elemental results
• Low sample demand for oxidative potential of PM2.5 through antioxidant depletion
• Successful evaluation of 25 samples collected in mechanically ventilated offices

An integrated approach has been developed for the multi-component analysis of indoor PM2.5 collected onto the same quartz fiber filter (QFF) by using an innovative combination of techniques such as inductively coupled sector field plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-SF-MS) with vapor-phase microwave-assisted aqua regia or sonication-assisted water extraction, ion chromatography, thermal–optical transmittance as well as high performance liquid chromatography and enzyme-linked 5,5′-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) assay for the determination of elemental composition, major inorganic ions, elemental/organic carbon (EC/OC) as well as oxidative potential (OP) through ascorbate (AA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) depletion, respectively. The low mass of PM2.5 collectable indoors, the elemental blank values of the QFFs and the sample volume/acidity requirements of the ICP-SF-MS represented a challenge for elemental determination. Finally, this approach was successfully applied for determination of 15 elements (Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Mo, Cd, Sn and Pb) at the ng m− 3 level in more than two-thirds of indoor PM2.5 (n = 25) collected in mechanically ventilated offices within the European Union project OFFICAIR at increased sampling flow rates (0.6 m3 h− 1–2.3 m3 h− 1) and sampling time (cca. 100 h) in the acidic/aqueous extracts. The concentration of Cl−, NO3−, SO42−, Na+, NH4+, K+, Ca2 +, Mg2 +, OC and EC was at the μg m − 3 level in the aqueous extracts. This new approach aiming at the comprehensive characterization of low mass indoor PM2.5 samples allowed assessment of OPAA and OPGSH in all samples. The PM2.5 critical sample mass to achieve elemental determination was approximately 400 μg.