Determination of saccharides in aerosols by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detection after preconcentration/clean-up on magnetic titania

Abstract

We report a simple analysis method for some common saccharides in aerosol samples on a diol-silica column, in connection with high performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detection. Under the established chromatographic conditions, the saccharides exhibit typical hydrophilic interaction behaviour with the stationary phase. Prior to chromatographic separation, the effectiveness of titania was studied as a specific trapping material toward saccharides in atmospheric samples. This approach simplifies the sample preconcentration and clean-up rendering the method fast and effective. For convenience during the isolation, magnetic particles were coated with a layer of titania. The actual LOD and LOQ values of the method range from 0.30 to 1.50 μg mL⁻¹ and 1.00 to 5.00 μg mL⁻¹, respectively, for the selected saccharides. The within-day repeatability (n = 3) was found to be less than 1.4% for concentrations in the range of 1.0–50.0 μg mL⁻¹. An aerosol sample originating from the city centre of Ioannina was analyzed to verify the applicability of the method. Most of the saccharides were detected at concentrations from 83 ng m⁻³ (mannitol) to 200 ng m⁻³ (mannosan and levoglucosan) after the sample had been subjected to the preconcentration/clean-up procedure.