Indoor VOCs From Household Floor Dust: Comparison of Headspace with Desorbed VOCs; Method for VOC Release Determination

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Abstract
One hundred and eighty eight Volatile organic compound (VOCs) were identified from dust emission, dust headspace, and in air sampling in a residence by sampling on Tenax TA followed by thermal desorption and HRGC/MS. Of these, 83 compounds were found in dust headspace. Aliphatic aldehydes (C4-8 and octane were major contributors to headspace gas chromatograms while the total ion current response for desorbed VOCs (120° C) was dominated by n-alkanes (C7-16), n- and branched alkanals (C4-10 and alkanoic acids (C2-14). Many of the identified VOCs could be products of microbial or human metabolism. Dust volatiles resulting from desorption were compared w dust headspace VOC analyses and found to be comparable considering the temperature difference. A method for determination of total VOC (TVOC-dust) emission at 120°C, was developed. Variation in desorption TVOC analyses was mainly due to sample heterogeneity.