Temporal variations of concentrations of currently used pesticides in the atmosphere of Strasbourg, France.

Atmospheric samples have been collected in Strasbourg between April 18 and May 29, 2007 and were analyzed for 71 current-use pesticides, of which 38 were detected. Average concentrations ranged from 0.09 ng m(-3) for Fenarimol to 110.

Separation of molecular tracers sorbed onto atmospheric particulate matter by flash chromatography.

In to order increase sensitivity and to reduce the background induced by matrix effects, a method was developed that uses flash chromatography to separate various compounds present in atmospheric aerosol samples prior to their analysis with different analytical techniques (GC-MS, GC-FID, HPLC). For this purpose, flash chromatography using a 4 g silica gel column crossed by eluent at a flow rate of 20 mL min(-1) was used. An eluent with enhanced polarity is needed to separate nonpolar (linear and branched alkanes), semipolar (PAH, nitro-PAH and cholesterol) and polar (methoxyphenols, alkanoic acids, and levoglucosan) compounds.

Comparison of the efficiencies of different types of adsorbents at trapping currently used pesticides in the gaseous phase using the technique of high-volume sampling.

Atmospheric samples were collected in an urban area (Strasbourg centre) in spring/summer 2004, in order to determine the concentrations of different pesticides in the gaseous and particulate phases and to compare the efficiencies of different adsorbents at trapping the gaseous phase. Two high-volume samplers were placed next to each other in the botanical garden in the centre of Strasbourg. Air sampling was carried out using a glass fibre filter and different adsorbents for 48 hrs.