Air monitoring of selected volatile organic compounds in wineries using passive sampling and headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Volatile compounds released during the production of wine at different steps of the winemaking process were evaluated using semipermeable membranes based passive samplers. Preliminary data on the differences between five wine varieties were provided together with the indoor quality of air to which winery workers are exposed during their professional activity. A simple, green and fast analytical methodology was employed for the direct analysis of deployed samplers by using head space (HS) gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) without any sample pre-treatment and avoiding the use of solvents. Terpenes as styrene, pinene, p-cymene and limonene were found at concentration levels ranging from 3 to 577 ng m− 3 and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) were also detected at concentration levels between 13 to 525 ng m− 3 for samplers deployed inside containers. Only BTEX below 52 ng m− 3 was detected in the working ambient air.