Determination of biomass burning tracers in air samples by GC/MS

Levoglucosan (LG) as a main cellulose burning product at 300 degrees C is a biomass burning tracer. LG characterize by relatively high molar mass and it is sorbed by particulate matter. In the study of air pollution monitoring LG is mainly analyzed in particulate matter, PM1 and PM2,5. The tracer create relatively high O-H center dot center dot center dot O bond and weaker C-H center dot center dot center dot O bond. Due to the hydrogen bond, LG dissolves very well in water. Analytical procedure of LG determination include: extraction, derivatization and analysis by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry detector. In water samples levoglucosan is determined by liquid chromatography. The paper presents a methodology for particulate matter samples determination their analysis by gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometry detector. Determination of LG content in particulate matter was performed according to an analytical method based on simultaneous pyridine extraction and derivatization using N, O-bis (trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide and trimethylchlorosilane mixture (BSTFA: TMCS, 99: 1).