The potential effect of differential ambient and deployment chamber temperatures on PRC derived sampling rates with polyurethane foam (PUF) passive air samplers

Abstract

Performance reference compound (PRC) derived sampling rates were determined for polyurethane foam (PUF) passive air samplers in both sub-tropical and temperate locations across Australia. These estimates were on average a factor of 2.7 times higher in summer than winter. The known effects of wind speed and temperature on mass transfer coefficients could not account for this observation. Sampling rates are often derived using ambient temperatures, not the actual temperatures within deployment chambers. If deployment chamber temperatures are in fact higher than ambient temperatures, estimated sampler-air partition coefficients would be greater than actual partition coefficients resulting in an overestimation of PRC derived sampling rates. Sampling rates determined under measured ambient temperatures and estimated deployment chamber temperatures in summer ranged from 7.1 to 10 m3 day-1 and 2.2-6.8 m3 day-1 respectively. These results suggest that potential differences between ambient and deployment chamber temperatures should be considered when deriving PRC-based sampling rates. Internal deployment chamber temperatures rather than ambient temperatures may be required to accurately estimate PRC-based sampling rates.