Novel eco-friendly methodology to determine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in polyurethane foam for air monitoring: Application to spatial and temporal distribution survey.

This study aimed at developing a new method for the extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in polyurethane foam (PUF). In the field of PAH monitoring, passive samplers using PUF disks are widely used. However, current extraction methods are time and solvent consuming.

Air Mapping of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Their Uptake by Crops in the Urban Area of Nice, France.

Urban gardening is becoming increasingly popular. Air pollution, which is a major concern in cities might, however, threaten food safety and thus must be assessed. Health risks arise particularly from toxic persistent organic pollutants such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are formed by incomplete combustion.

Comparison of annual dry and wet deposition fluxes of selected pesticides in Strasbourg, France.

This work summarizes the results of a study of atmospheric wet and dry deposition fluxes of Deisopropyl-atrazine (DEA), Desethyl-atrazine (DET), Atrazine, Terbuthylazine, Alachlor, Metolachlor, Diflufenican, Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, Iprodione, Isoproturon and Cymoxanil pesticides conducted in Strasbourg, France, from August 2000 through August 2001. The primary objective of this work was to calculate the total atmospheric pesticide deposition fluxes induced by atmospheric particles. To do this, a modified one-dimensional cloud water deposition model was used.

ICP-MS determination of trace elements in aerosols using a dynamic reaction cell: first results in PM10 comparing road and aerial traffic in Nice area (France).

An analytical methodology was developed for the determination of 21 trace elements in suspended particulate matter (PM) using a microwave digestion procedure associated with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The dynamic reaction cell (DRC) of the instrument was carefully optimized to eliminate polyatomic species causing spectral interferences for three specified elements (Cr, Fe, Mn). With this method, the detection limits based on the analysis of seven quartz fibre filters (QFF) considering a one-week sample (250 m3) varied between 0.

Analytical method using gas chromatography and ion trap tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of S-triazines and their metabolites in the atmosphere.

Gas chromatography-ion trap detector (GC-ITD) was used to detect atmospheric triazines and their degradation products in the gaseous and particulate phases. Because triazines and their metabolites are expected to be present at very low concentrations and enclosed in the complex atmospheric matrix, the analytical method used was both highly selective and sensitive. These two properties were obtained by associating chromatography with ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (GC-ITD (MS/MS)).

Cloudwater studies at a high elevation site in the Vosges Mountains (France).

Cloud and rainwater samples have been collected at a high elevation site in the Vosges Mountains. An automated collection system has been used to collect bulk cloudwater and small cloudwater droplets. Bulk cloudwater concentrations were up to 10 times more concentrated than rainwater concentrations.