A combination of Tedlar bag sampling and solid-phase microextraction for the analysis of trimethylamine in air: Relationship between concentration level and sample size

To extend the experimental applicability of the solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method to the analysis of trimethylamine (TMA) by the grab sampling method (i.e., Tedlar bag sampler), we investigated how experimental results are affected by the interaction between the concentration level of TMA standard and the volume size of its sample that is exposed to SPME fiber. To obtain comparative data sets for TMA analysis, all standards were analyzed as triplicate at five different concentrations (10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 ppb) each of which was prepared in four different bag sizes (1, 3, 5, and 10 L capacity). The sorptive characteristics of TMA were then evaluated in terms of recovery rate (RR) values derived by relationship between added and found quantities of TMA standard. The results of randomized block design showed that the determination of TMA is affected by the two major variables (i.e., TMA concentration level and sample size) at 95% confidence interval.