Objective To establish a method for the quantitative determination of n-propanol in the air of workplaces.

Methods The charcoal tubes were used for collection of airborne n-propanol in workplaces, and the 1% isopropanol-carbon disulfide mixture solvent was used for desorption. The analytes were separated with capillary column HP-INNOWAX (30.0 m×0.53 mm×1.0 μm), then detected with FID and quantified with standard curve method.

Results The liner range of n-propanol concentrations was 10 to 500 mg/L with the regression equation y=2.12 x + 1.96, and the correlation coefficient(r) was 0.999 9(P < 0.05). The limit of quantitation (LOQ) of n-propanol in air was 0.30 mg/m³ and the concentration of analytes in air was 0.09 mg/m³ based on the sampling volume (3.0 L). The relative standard deviations (RSD) varied from 1.7% to 3.6%. The desorption efficiencies varied from 89.3% to 94.7% and the sampling efficiency was more than 96%. The breakthrough volume was 16 mg of n-propanol in 100 mg of active carbon. The activated carbon tubes after sampling can be stored at room temperature for 7 days.

Conclusion This method applied solvent desorption with gas chromatographic method for determination of n-propanol in the air of workplaces was of high sensitivity, and good stability, which is appropriate for the field monitoring of n-propanol in the air of workplaces.