Collection of airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other organics with a glass fiber filter-polyurethane foam system

High volume air samples were collected in an urban (Columbia, SC) and rural (Savannah River Plant, SC) location using a glass fiber filter followed by two plugs of polyurethane foam (PUF). Total organics ⩾ n-C19 were analyzed by flame ionization GC, and PAH were determined by reversed phase HPLC with fluorescence detection. Most of the 3- and 4-ring PAH were found on the PUF trap, while the higher-ring PAH were retained by the filter. For total organics, fluoranthene, and pyrene, the adsorbentretained: filter-retained ratio was related to the suspended particle concentration and the average sampling temperature through an equation derived from the Langmuir isotherm. Movement of organic vapors through the PUF bed was related to the temperature-weighted air volume, where the temperature weighting factor was calculated from the Antoine equation for phenanthrene vapor pressure. At 20°C and 600m3 air, breakthrough from the first to the second PUF trap was 15% for phenanthrene and anthracene, and 25 % for total organics ⩾n-C19. The same volume of air sampled at 25°C produced 40% or more breakthrough.