Comparison of Zn3(BTC)2 and XAD-2/PANI Adsorbents for Sampling and Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons using Needle Trap Sampling Method in Air

Background and Objective: In the present study, two different and novel adsorbents were synthesized and investigated for their efficiency in needle trap sampling of PAH compounds in the air. Materials and Methods: The needle trap samplers filled with each of the adsorbents were tested separately and under the same conditions to sample the air containing the analyte. The effect of parameters such as temperature and desorption time, volume of breakdown passage, and the retention time of analyte in the substrate of each adsorbent were determined, and the performance parameters of the method, such as limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ), were evaluated. Results: The results of investigating the performance of the proposed needle trap samplers demonstrated that the lowest temperature and desorption time are related to the needle trap containing XAD-2/PANI. Furthermore, the comparison of the three types of needle trap samplers in terms of the ability to store the sample in the environment with a temperature of 25°C illustrated that the needle trap containing Zn-MOF adsorbent is better than the needle trap containing XAD-2/PANI. Conclusion: Based on the results of investigating the performance of needle trap samplers studied in the laboratory phase and the field, both adsorbents used, due to their favorable characteristics, are able to improve the performance of the needle trap samplers for sampling polycyclic aromatic compounds and can achieve high sensitivity for sampling and analyzing these compounds.