Gas Chromatographic and Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Volatile Organics in the Atmosphere

Trace-level vapor-phase organic components in tropospheric samples have been identified using combined glass capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Samples were collected on Tenax-GC sorbent from an aircraft sampling port at various locations over North America and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The compounds found in these samples include n-alkanes (hexane to pentadecane), alkenes, benzene and alkylbenzenes, styrene, tetrachloroethylene, dichlorobenzenes, dimethyldisulfide, and benzaldehyde. The concentrations of benzene and toluene were determined to be in the range of