How can I analyse the samples for PAH, trace metals and organometallic compounds? I am trying to write a research paper on vehicle effluents? Can anybody, who has experience doing this before, please assist?
GC but the choice of column phase is critical because MS detection cannot differentiate isomers.
How do you want to perform your collection?
- directly from the exhaust: be aware that most of car exhaust is composed of water. Filters (especially Quartz fiber based) easily break when getting too wet (especially true if flow rate is high). You may want to implement a drying system before collection.
- near a highway: for trace metals, you may get artifact of resuspended metallic particles.
metals are usually big particles, so one should take care of the sampling design in order to avoid loss along the sampling line.
Rogge et al. (2002) may give you some ideas for organometallics
Hope this helps a bit
Good luck
Environmentally - road side dust is a good sample to take. You can also look at dust wipe samples from surfaces and vacuum cleaner dust for human exposure
You can also use portable engine exhaust analyzers.
See, e.g.:
http://www.nova-gas.com/EngineExhaustpage.html
P.S. The above link is just an example. You can buy
similar analyzers from a dozens of manufacturers.
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