application of solid phase microextraction followed by chromatograph-flame ionization detector for sampling and analysis of acetonitrile in air

acetonitrile used as a solvent in manufactures and affects to central nervous system from inhalation exposure. the aim of this study was to develop a micro-solid phase extraction method for  the determination of acetonitrile in the air matrix. the sampling was performed with a small diameter fused silica fiber coated with a thin film of stationary phase and was subsequently desorbed and analyzed by gas chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector (gc/fid). the effects of laboratory and sampling parameters were investigated and applied to the determination of acetonitrile in air matrix. the carboxen/pdms  as the coating fiber showed better analytical performances compared to the pdms fi ber. analysis of the data by anova test at a 0.05 level of accuracy showed that the peak area of the sampler was significantly affected by temperature and humidity so that the optimum temperature was 20°c and the optimum humidity was 35%. besides, the limit of detection (lod) and limit of quantification (loq) for acetonitrile in the gc system were 0.05 and 0.15 μg/ml, respectively. the solid phase  microextraction (spme) has been shown a suitable technique for sampling and analysis of acetonitrile in air. there was a good correlation between the spme and national institute occupational safety and health (niosh) 1010 method under the optimum conditions.