Concerns regarding 24-h sampling for formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein using 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH)-coated solid sorbents

There is high demand for accurate and reliable airborne carbonyl measurement methods due to the human and environmental health impacts of carbonyls and their effects on atmospheric chemistry. Standardized 2,4-dinitrophenyihydrazine (DNPH)-based sampling methods are frequently applied for measuring gaseous carbonyls in the atmospheric environment. However, there are multiple shortcomings associated with these methods that detract from an accurate understanding of carbonyl-related exposure, health effects, and atmospheric chemistry. The purpose of this brief technical communication is to highlight these method challenges and their influence on national ambient monitoring networks, and to provide a logical path forward for accurate carbonyl measurement. This manuscript focuses on three specific carbonyl compounds of high toxicological-interest formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein. Further method testing and development, the revision of standardized methods, and the plausibility of introducing novel technology for these carbonyls are considered elements of the path forward. The consolidation of this information is important because it seems clear that carbonyl data produced utilizing DNPH-based methods are being reported without acknowledgment of the method short-comings or how to best address them. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.