Industrial Hygiene Applications of Portable GC-MS

Phil Smith, CDR, MSC, USN

PhD, CIH

Objective

Provide examples where field-portable GC-MS has Provide examples where field-portable GC-MS has been used for qualitative screening that improved been used for qualitative screening that improved exposure assessment outcome and how this tool exposure assessment outcome and how this tool will and how this will affect the practice of will and how this will affect the practice of preventionprevention

Exposure AssessmentExposure assessment is an important part of research Exposure assessment is an important part of research and preventionand prevention

(1) Researchers need to link exposures to outcomes(1) Researchers need to link exposures to outcomes

(2) Practitioners need to understand exposures to verify (2) Practitioners need to understand exposures to verify if they are acceptableif they are acceptable

In both cases, unknown and unexpected exposures

are undesirable

1.1. Screening unknown materials by Screening unknown materials by SPME with GC-MS analysisSPME with GC-MS analysis

2.2. Screening unknown exposures by Screening unknown exposures by SPME with GC-MS analysisSPME with GC-MS analysis

3.3. Quantitative Exposure SamplingQuantitative Exposure Sampling

Industrial Hygiene Applications of Industrial Hygiene Applications of Solid Phase MicroextractionSolid Phase Microextraction

2 of 3 fibers are extended for sampling;Circled area contains sorbent coating of 1 fiber

1 Minute Sample Time, Passive SPME

Real-Time ID of CWA Analytes

Sulfur Mustard (HD)

1 Minute SPME Sample Time

Using Improved Instrumentation/Methods to Solve Exposure Problems

CS Riot Control Agent, Thermal Dispersion

What are we Currently Missing in Exposure

Assessments?

p-dichlorobenzene

USS NIMITZ (CVN 68)

Hazard Recognition –screeningunknown materials by SPME with GC/MS analysis

Formula 150 paint –incomplete MSDS information

GC-MS Field Sampling for Shipboard Paint Analytes

SPME Fiber

Screening by Headspace SPMEfor Identification of Solvents in Paint

SPME SamplingHeadspace above paint sampleGC/MS analysis, DB-1 column35 °C to 150 °C, 3 °C/min

CH3

CH3

CH3

CH3

CH3

CH3

CH3

CH2CH3

CH3

CH2CH3

CH2CH2CH3

n-butanol

CH3

CH3

CH3

CH3

Indoor Air Sampling Following Terrorist Attack

n-C15

Coelutes with

n-C14

n-C16

IAQ Sample, 16 September 2001

Crash Site SPME Air SamplingWith On-Site GC/MS Analysis

30 min sample,fuel from aircraft1:320 dilution(MeCl2 diluent)

30 min crash site sample

(CS)

CH3Cl

C

N

Cl

CN

ClCNNCCl

CH

O

Hapsite Analytes

Cl

CNCl

CNNC

HCN

5 min passive SPMESample shown here,field GC/MS analysis

Exposure to Volatile Analytes from Handling

Irradiated Mail

Field identification was requiredat the point of contaminant generationto quickly answer fundamental exposure assessment questions ; numerousvolatile, irritating chemicals were shownto be produced by the irradiation process

Problem: Initially unknown exposures to volatile organic chemicals among legislative workers handling mail irradiated as a protection against anthraxWhy use GC/MS for this problem?

(1) Complex mixture with many trace components

(2) Initially, composition completely unknown

Initial GC-MS Instrumentation Used

Typical GC airbath oven

GC-MS with Mobile Laboratory

Initial screening samples showed rich mix of volatile organic compounds; switched to different column and confirmed results in the laboratory…

Irradiated Mail GC-MS Analyses Irradiated Mail GC-MS Analyses Completed in the LabCompleted in the Lab

Quantitative SPME Uptake KineticsQuantitative SPME Uptake Kinetics

10 s SPME Sample, GC-MS Analysis10 s SPME Sample, GC-MS AnalysisUndisclosed Hazrdous IngredientsUndisclosed Hazrdous Ingredients

Conclusions (Continued)

One of the most powerful qualityimprovements possible has repeatedlybeen shown to be: “understand qualitativesituation first using Level-3 gear…THEN quantify”

Our profession must drive (or at leastparticipate in) development of better systems in levels 1-3

Transportable (lab)

Man-portable(Derived from Level 4)