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Simultaneous determination of gaseous nitric acid and particulate nitrate in ambient air using continuous samplers and chemiluminescent online analysers

Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: A sensitive and fast method for the simultaneous determination of gaseous nitric acid (HNO 3 ) and particulate nitrate (NO 3 - ) in ambient air is presented. HNO 3 is continuously sampled using a wet diffusion denuder and analysed online by a newly developed continuous flow analyser, while NO 3 - bound to aerosol particles is collected in parallel using a continuous aerosol sampler and analysed by the previously developed continuous flow analyser. Chemiluminescence detection in both CFA N and CFA O enables sensitive determination of NO 3 - directly in sampler concentrates without preconcentration, with limits of detection (LOD = 3 S/N) of 5.1 nM and 12.8 nM, respectively. The corresponding LODs are 0.13 μg m -3 (49.7 ppt) for HNO 3 and 0.10 μg m -3 for NO 3 - . The developed method enables continuous online measurement of the HNO 3 /NO 3 - distribution in ambient air, with chemiluminescence signal recorded at 1 s intervals. The optimised method was applied to the determination of HNO 3 and NO 3 - in urban air in Brno during winter and summer campaigns conducted between 2022 and 2023. Results obtained using the developed method were compared with those from a reference method based on sampling on filters and dry diffusion denuders coated with sodium fluoride.
Source: Talanta
DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2026.130457
Language: English
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7202295905
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Cites: 81
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Related to: 10