A passive sampling-based analytical strategy for the determination of volatile organic compounds in the air of working areas.

An analytical methodology based on the use of a polyethylene layflat tube filled with activated carbon and Florisil (ACFL-VERAM) was employed for the passive sampling of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air of working areas of packing industries. VOCs amount in the ACFL-VERAM sampler was directly determined through head-space-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) allowing a direct determination in only 20 min without the need of any previous treatment. Uptake parameters, like sampling rate (R(S)) and sampler-air partition coefficient (K(SA)), were determined for every studied VOC from adsorption isotherm data. Additionally, experimental equations have been proposed to predict R(S) and K(SA) from the octanol-air partition coefficients reported in the literature. The proposed methodology reaches method detection levels from 0.007 to 0.2 mg m(-3) for the studied VOCs.