An automatic system for the measurement of carboxylic acids (HCOOH, CH3 COOH) in the urban atmosphere by combination of an aqueous mist chamber and ion exclusion chromatography

An automatic system for measurement of gaseous formic acid and acetic acid in the urban atmosphere was investigated by using an aqueous mist chamber and ion exclusion chromatography. The collection efficiencies of formic acid and acetic acid by mist chamber were more than 90% at 7 1/min of air flow. The lower detection limits by this automatic system were 0.036 ppbv for formic acid and 0.019 ppbv for acetic acid at 350 1 of air sampling volume. The concentration of formic acid and acetic acid in Yokohama, July, 1991 were 0.2-4.8 ppbv and 0.1-3.2 ppbv, respectively.