Iran Occupational Health

Background and aims: Needle trap micro-sampler, with all advantages of microextraction techniques such as solid phase microextraction, owing to the ease of use and becoming a powerful method for air pollution monitoring. In this study, the performance of needle trap micro-sampler device with silica composite of carbon nanotubes, prepared using sol-gel technique, was investigated for health monitoring of perchloroethylene in air.

Methods: After preparation of proposed sorbent, 1.5 cm length of a 21-gauge needle (10 cm length and 0.52 mm I.D.) packed and the experimental parameters adjusted and the performance of micro-extraction sampler assessed in the sampling, storage and desorption stages for micro-sampling and determination of perchloroethylene. Finally the sampler was used for air monitoring of perchloroethylene in the dry cleaning and compared with NIOSH relevant method.

Results: The results demonstrated that breakthrough volumes were more than 1300 and 1100 ml for needle trap packed with CNTs/silica composite and CAR/PDMS, respectively. Increasing the sampling temperature and relative humidity reduced the sampling efficiency and the needle trap devices with both sorbents showed less than 4% for analyte losses after seven days. In the field sampling, needle trap with nano-structured sorbent showed better response comparing to the NIOSH 1003 method.

conclusion: Needle trap device packed with silica composite of carbon nanotubes showed good performance for sampling of perchloroethylene in air and recommended for health monitoring of occupational and environmental pollutant.