Screening check test to confirm the relative reactivity and applicability of 2,4‐dinitrophenylhydrazine impregnated‐filters for formaldehyde on other compounds

OBJECTIVES: A simple check test method was designed to confirm whether a 2,4‐dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) filter for formaldehyde can be used to measure other compounds. METHODS: Sample mixtures containing the same concentrations of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acetone were spiked to the DNPH‐filter, extracted, and then measured using high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector (HPLC‐PDA). The amounts of DNPH‐derivatives versus the amounts of spiked samples were then plotted. RESULTS: When the amount of DNPH << the total amount of spiked samples, the amount of DNPH‐derivatives was formaldehyde > acetaldehyde >> acetone. This order corresponded to the relative rate constants for the reaction. Therefore, this study confirmed that acetone was not collected at the formaldehyde sampling rate. CONCLUSIONS: This check test easily measured the reaction rate order and can be used as a simple test to determine whether other samples can be measured by the analytical methods used for the specified sample.