色谱 ›› 2026, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (6): 694-704.DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1123.2025.04028

• 技术与应用 • 上一篇    下一篇

高效液相色谱-三重四极杆质谱法测定环境空气中40种醛酮类化合物

李光辉, 邓硕, 李勤勤, 张春林, 刘云凤, 蒋斌, 姚倩, 王好, 王伯光*()   

  1. 暨南大学环境与气候学院,广东 广州 511443
  • 收稿日期:2025-06-10 出版日期:2026-06-08 发布日期:2026-06-03
  • 通讯作者: *Tel:020-37336621,E-mail:tbongue@jnu.edu.cn.
  • 基金资助:
    国家重点研发计划(2023YFC3706204);广东省基础与应用基础研究基金(2025A1515011304)

Determination of 40 carbonyl compounds in ambient air by high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

LI Guanghui, DENG Shuo, LI Qinqin, ZHANG Chunlin, LIU Yunfeng, JIANG Bin, YAO Qian, WANG Hao, WANG Boguang*()   

  1. College of Environmental and Climate,Jinan University,Guangzhou 511443,China
  • Received:2025-06-10 Online:2026-06-08 Published:2026-06-03
  • Supported by:
    National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFC3706204);Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2025A1515011304)

摘要:

醛酮类化合物(CCs)是环境空气中非常重要的一类含氧挥发性有机物,在大气光化学反应、臭氧生成、二次有机气溶胶形成等过程中具有重要作用。本研究建立了使用高效液相色谱-三重四极杆质谱单次进样同时测定环境空气中40种CCs的分析方法。优化了样品采集、前处理和仪器分析条件。环境空气样品使用2,4-二硝基苯肼(DNPH)管采集(采样流量为1 L/min,采样时长为4 h),采用乙腈洗脱、定容(5 mL),经0.22 μm滤膜过滤后进样分析。采用Sepax BR-C18色谱柱(250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm)进行分离,以1.0 mmol/L乙酸铵水溶液-乙腈为流动相进行梯度洗脱,柱温50 ℃,进样量5 μL,采用负离子电喷雾离子源(ESI)进行多反应监测(MRM)扫描。结果表明,40种CCs在2.5~200 μg/L范围内线性关系良好(R2≥0.997 8),方法检出限为0.001~0.03 μg/m3,方法定量限为0.005~0.12 μg/m3,低、中、高3个水平下的空白加标回收率为75.2%~119.0%,相对标准偏差为0.4%~4.2%。将其应用于珠三角实际样品的分析,除糠醛和异佛尔酮外,其余38种CCs均可有效检出,其中甲醛、乙醛和壬醛的含量在各观测点均较高;整体上,低分子质量单羰基化合物(LMW-MCs)的含量略高于高分子质量单羰基化合物(HMW-MCs),远高于二羰基化合物(DCs)。本方法简便快速,具有良好的灵敏度、精准度和分离度,有效解决了现有方法中DCs和HMW-MCs种类少、检测困难等问题,适用于环境空气中CCs的检测。

关键词: 醛酮类化合物, 环境空气, 高效液相色谱-三重四极杆质谱

Abstract:

Carbonyl compounds (CCs) are a pivotal class of oxygenated volatile organic compounds in ambient air, which are mainly derived from natural emissions, primary emissions from anthropogenic sources, and secondary formation due to atmospheric oxidation. Various classes of CCs have different impacts on human health, and play critical roles in atmospheric photochemical reactions, ozone production, and the formation of secondary organic aerosols. At present, the number of CCs in ambient air determined by traditional methods is limited, especially for high molecular weight monocarbonyl compounds (HMW-MCs) and dicarbonyl compounds (DCs). If more CCs can be accurately determined, it will be beneficial for the study of atmospheric oxidation mechanisms and the formulation of pollution control strategies.In this study, an analytical method was developed that enables simultaneous determination of the 40 CCs in ambient air with a single injection, utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. First, the 16 CCs-2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH)-derivatized single standards were prepared using purified DNPH crystals in the laboratory. Second, the remaining 24 commercial CCs-DNPH-derivatized hybrid standards were purchased. Finally, all the above standards were mixed in a certain proportion to prepare the 40 CCs-DNPH-derivatized hybrid standards for later use. The sample collection procedures (sampling flow rate and sampling duration), the pretreatment methods (elution volume and constant volume), the chromatographic analysis conditions (chromatographic column, the concentration of ammonium acetate, etc.) and the mass spectrometry analysis conditions (ion source parameters, fragmentation voltage, collision energy, etc.) were optimized. Ambient air samples were collected using DNPH cartridges (at a flow rate of 1 L/min, for 4 h), eluted with 4 mL of acetonitrile and diluted to a final volume of 5 mL (the acetonitrile naturally flowed through the DNPH cartridges in the opposite direction to the sampling direction) in a vacuum drying chamber, and then filtered through a 0.22 μm organic filter membrane and transferred to 1.5 mL brown sample bottles prior to instrumental analysis. Chromatographic separation was performed using a Sepax BR-C18 column (250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm) with mobile phases consisting of 1.0 mmol/L ammonium aqueous solution and acetonitrile under gradient elution conditions. The analysis was performed at a column temperature of 50 ℃ with an injection volume of 5 μL. The target analytes were identified using negative electrospray ionization (ESI-) and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) modes and quantified using the external standard method. The results showed that the 40 CCs exhibited good linearities within the mass concentration range of 2.5–200 μg/L, with the determination coefficients (R2) exceeding 0.997 8. The method detection limits and method quantification limits were established within the ranges of 0.001–0.03 μg/m3 and 0.005–0.12 μg/m3, respectively. The blank spiked recoveries of the target analytes at low, middle, and high concentration levels (0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 μg) ranged from 75.2% to 119.0%, while the relative standard deviations (RSDs, n=7) ranged from 0.4% to 4.2%. This analytical method was applied to the monitoring of ambient samples in the Pearl River Delta region. Except for 2-furaldehyde and isophorone, 38 CCs were effectively detected. Among these, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and nonanal consistently showed higher concentrations across all sampling sites. Overall, the concentrations of low molecular weight monocarbonyl compounds (LMW-MCs) were moderately higher than those of HMW-MCs, and substantially higher than those of DCs. Compared with conventional methods, this method effectively overcame the limitations in existing approaches regarding the limited variety and detection difficulties of DCs and HMW-MCs. Additionally, it also improved the chromatographic resolution of target analytes which have similar retention times and the same ion pairs. Overall, this method was simple and rapid, offering excellent sensitivity, precision, and chromatographic resolution. It was suitable for the determination of the abovementioned 40 CCs in ambient air.

Key words: carbonyl compounds (CCs), ambient air, high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS)

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