Uptake rate behavior of tube-type passive samplers for volatile organic compounds under controlled atmospheric conditions

► Four air pollutants are studied: limonene, toluene, ethyl acetate and hexane. ► The diffusive uptake process is studied quantitatively and mechanistically. ► Sampling dose and thermodynamic sorption constants affect the uptake behavior. ► Ideal uptake rates underestimate TWA concentrations for Tenax TA-filled samplers. ► A method is proposed to apply internal standard calibration for passive sampling.