A Comparison of Sampling and Analytical Methods for Airborne Isocyanates

공기중 이소시아네이트류의 측정 및 분석방법에 관한 비교연구

This study was performed to evaluate accuracy and precision of filter method and impinger method for analyzin airborne isocyanates in mixture (2, 6-TDI, HDI, 2, 4-TDI, MDI). Filter method was performed using the OSHA Method 42 and impinger method using the NIOSH Method 5521. The samples were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UVD). After the optimum operating conditions for each method were investigated, samples with various concentration levels were quantified at the conditions. The precision was expressed by the pooled coefficient of variation(C.V.) and the accuracy by overall accuracy. The results are summarized as follows: 1. The optimum condition of filter method was determined at 35/65 ACN/buffer (0.01 M ammonium acetate) in mobile phase. And in case of impinger method, it was at 30/70 ACN/buffer(0.2 M sodium acetate). The effect of concentrations of acetate on the separation of the peaks was not significant, but, the effect of ACN/buffer ratio was significant. 2. The correlation coefficients for the two methods were above 0.9 in all isocyanate compounds. Average recovery efficiencies for 2, 6-TDI, HDI, 2, 4-TDI and MDI in filter method were 92.4%, 102.6%, 87.3% and 101.0%, respectively. Those in impinger method were 106.6%, 106.7%, 99.0% and 103.6%, respectively. As a result, the recovery efficiency of impinger method was higher than those of filter method in analyzing isocyanate compounds. 3. The pooled coefficients of variations of the methods were slightly higher than expected. The overall accuracies of the methods were within $\pm 25%$ for each isocyanate compound. Since these results satisfy NIOSH criteria, the accuracy of the experiment is appropriate. 4. As seen above, impinger method is more efficient than filter method. But, there are many disadvantages in impinger method. Therefore, solid sorbent such as a glass fiber filter must be developed in order to have the high efficiency not less than that of impinger method in the future.