Passive sampling of airborne peroxyacetic acid.

The first passive sampling device for the determination of airborne peroxyacetic acid (PAA) is presented. 2-([3-{2-[4-Amino-2-(methylsulfanyl)phenyl]-1-diazenyl}phenyl]sulfonyl)-1-ethanol (ADS) is used to impregnate glass fiber filters, and the reagent is oxidized by PAA to the corresponding sulfoxide ADSO. After elution of the filters, ADS and ADSO are separated by reversed-phase HPLC and detected by UV/visible absorbance. Limit of detection is 30 ppb, limit of quantification is 90 ppb (for 30 min sampling), and the linear range comprises 2 orders of magnitude. Thorough investigations were carried out with respect to the selectivity of the method toward hydrogen peroxide, and air samples were analyzed successfully after disinfection of a laboratory area.