Developments in direct thermal extraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of fine aerosols

This review examines thermal extraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TE-GC-MS) applied to aerosols collected on filters. Several different TE-GC-MS systems as a group have speciated hundreds of individual organic constituents in ambient fine aerosols. Improved molecular marker source apportionment (chemical mass balance) may be one of the benefits of further developing TE-GC-MS to determine organic aerosol composition.