Occupational exposure to VOCs and carbonyl compounds in beauty salons and health risks associated with it in South Korea.

Long-term exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbonyl compounds in beauty products may adversely impact the health of beauty salon technicians. Previous studies have focused on assessing indoor air concentrations of chemicals, such as benzene and toluene, and not on personal exposure concentrations. This study measured the indoor and personal exposure concentrations of VOCs and carbonyl compounds in fifty-three beauty salons in Korea. Non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks and sensitivity were analyzed using the Monte Carlo simulation technique. The indoor and personal exposure concentrations of acetone were 82.24 µg/m3 and 104.97 µg/m3, respectively, the highest among all measured chemicals. Beauty salon technicians who experienced adverse health effects had significantly higher concentrations of acetone, benzaldehyde, and toluene than those who did not experience adverse health effects (p-value < 0.05). The average hazard quotients of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were higher than the acceptable risk level (1), and the average cancer risks of formaldehyde exceeded the acceptable risk level (10-6). Wearing personal protective equipment was the most efficient risk reduction strategy for reducing the non-cancer risks of acetaldehyde and formaldehyde and the carcinogenic risks of formaldehyde. The results of this study can be used as a basis for reducing exposure to VOCs and carbonyl compounds among salon technicians.

Prediction Model for Airborne Microorganisms Using Particle Number Concentration as Surrogate Markers in Hospital Environment.

Indoor microbiological air quality, including airborne bacteria and fungi, is associated with hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and emerging as an environmental issue in hospital environment. Many studies have been carried out based on culture-based methods to evaluate bioaerosol level. However, conventional biomonitoring requires laborious process and specialists, and cannot provide data quickly. In order to assess the concentration of bioaerosol in real-time, particles were subdivided according to the aerodynamic diameter for surrogate measurement. Particle number concentration (PNC) and meteorological conditions selected by analyzing the correlation with bioaerosol were included in the prediction model, and the forecast accuracy of each model was evaluated by the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE). The prediction model for airborne bacteria demonstrated highly accurate prediction (R2 = 0.804, MAPE = 8.5%) from PNC1-3, PNC3-5, and PNC5-10 as independent variables. Meanwhile, the fungal prediction model showed reasonable, but weak, prediction results (R2 = 0.489, MAPE = 42.5%) with PNC3-5, PNC5-10, PNC > 10, and relative humidity. As a result of external verification, even when the model was applied in a similar hospital environment, the bioaerosol concentration could be sufficiently predicted. The prediction model constructed in this study can be used as a pre-assessment method for monitoring microbial contamination in indoor environments.

Indoor Thermal Environment Long-Term Data Analytics Using IoT Devices in Korean Apartments: A Case Study.

IoT-based monitoring devices can transmit real-time and long-term thermal environment data, enabling innovative conversion for the evaluation and management of the indoor thermal environment. However, long-term indoor thermal measurements using IoT-based devices to investigate health effects have rarely been conducted. Using apartments in Seoul as a case study, we conducted long-term monitoring of thermal environmental using IoT-based real-time wireless sensors. We measured the temperature, relative humidity (RH), and CO2 in the kitchen, living room, and bedrooms of each household over one year. In addition, in one of the houses, velocity and globe temperatures were measured for multiple summer and autumn seasons. Results of our present study indicated that outdoor temperature is an important influencing factor of indoor thermal environment and indoor RH is a good indicator of residents' lifestyle. Our findings highlighted the need for temperature management in summer, RH management in winter, and kitchen thermal environment management during summer and tropical nights. This study suggested that IoT devices are a potential approach for evaluating personal exposure to indoor thermal environmental risks. In addition, long-term monitoring and analysis is an efficient approach for analyzing complex indoor thermal environments and is a viable method for application in healthcare.

Development and Verification of a Risk Index for Evaluating the Chemical Accident Risk of Korean Chemical Enterprises.

The scale of the damage due to chemical accidents in Korea is significant, and appropriate preparation and response are required. Currently, Korean enterprises are managed on the basis of the presence of certain substances. However, chemicals other than these also cause chemical accidents. It is necessary to develop a relative ranking risk index that can be calculated through use of the chemical enterprise information on chemical enterprises that is available. The Korean chemical accident risk index (KCARI), which consists of the flammability, reactivity, explosiveness, corrosiveness, toxicity, and inventory sub-indices, was developed and verified by determining the for difference in KCARI was performed by accident, and accident severity category, calculating the correlation between the KCARI values, the factors, and some sub-indices, determining how an increase in the KCARI would impact how the incident rate changed as KCARI increased and how well the KCARI can predict the chemical accident risk of chemical handling enterprises, and confirming the consistency of the proposed index and the current system. These results indicated that the frequency and severity of chemical accidents, and the presence of accidental substances, showed significant differences in the KCARI values. However, there were limitations in the ability of the fitted model to precisely predict the accident. Thus, this model can be used as a tool for the early screening and management of enterprises with a high risk of chemical accident.

Research Progress of M13 Bacteriophage-Based Biosensors.

Recently, new virus-based sensor systems that operate on M13 bacteriophage infrastructure have attracted considerable attention. These systems can detect a range of chemicals with excellent sensitivity and selectivity. Filaments consistent with M13 bacteriophages can be ordered by highly established forms of self-assembly. This allows M13 bacteriophages to build a homogeneous distribution and infiltrate the network structure of nanostructures under mild conditions. Phage display, involving the genetic engineering of M13 bacteriophages, is another strong feature of the M13 bacteriophage as a functional building block. The numerous genetic modification possibilities of M13 bacteriophages are clearly the key features, and far more applications are envisaged. This paper reviews the recent progress in the application of the M13 bacteriophage self-assembly structures through to sensor systems and discusses future M13 bacteriophage technology.

Development of Accident Probability Index Using Surrogate Indicators of Chemical Accidents in Chemical Plants.

To reduce damage caused by chemical accidents, it is important to establish a prevention system for chemical accidents. The first step in the prevention of chemical accidents is to screen the high-risk chemical plants. Risk index, one of the screening methods, can indirectly estimate the risk at each chemical plant. For calculating the risk index, the probability of an accident needs to be estimated, which requires complex calculation and confidential data from plants that are difficult to obtain. Therefore, we developed a new index, the accident probability index, to estimate accident probability in chemical plants using readily accessible data. We conducted a literature survey on the existing risk indices and interviewed chemical experts and government chemical managers to select surrogate indicators related to chemical accidents, and four indicators were chosen: hazardous characteristics of chemicals, handling volume, records of accident frequency, and national accident frequency of chemicals. We calculated the accident probability index for 4520 chemical plants, and index value means was 5.324 (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.156, 7.493). An increase by 10 in the index value denoted a 1.06-fold (95% CI: 1.04, 1.08) increase in the odds ratio for actual accident occurrence. The accident frequency of the fourth quartile of the index value was 4.30 times (95% CI: 1.72, 10.75) higher than those of the first quartile.

Effects of Legal Regulation on Indoor Air Quality in Facilities for Sensitive Populations - A Field Study in Seoul, Korea.

Facilities for sensitive populations have increased in Korea; and its indoor air quality (IAQ) was strictly regulated by the Korean government compared to other facilities. However, merely public facilities on certain level of total floor area were lawfully regulated. This study aims to characterize the indoor environment at facilities for sensitive populations in Korea and investigate the effects of legal regulation on IAQ throughout the duration of 1 year. Sixty facilities for sensitive populations were investigated. Particulate matter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), total bacteria count (TBC), total volatile organic compound (TVOC), formaldehyde (HCHO), radon (Rn), ozone (O3), asbestos, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were target pollutants. As a result, none of the rooms' concentration of CO, NO2, O3, Rn, asbestos, and VOCs exceeded the Korean Standard of Indoor Air Quality, while some rooms' concentration of other pollutants exceeded the KSIAQ. Statutory facilities had lower indoor pollutant concentrations and exceedance rates due to efficient ventilation system and the lack of kitchen location within the building, as opposed to non-statutory facilities. In addition, the VOCs had significant differences depending on the number of years it took for the building to be constructed. To reduce the indoor pollutants concentrations, efficient ventilation systems should be installed while controlling the main sources of pollutants. In addition, construction and remodeling using eco-friendly materials should be considered. The standards of IAQ for small size facilities should be included in the KSIAQ in the future.

Priority Setting for the Management of Chemicals Using the Globally Harmonized System and Multivariate Analysis: Use of the Mahalanobis-Taguchi System.

This study aims to provide a new methodology using the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) and the Mahalanobis-Taguchi System (MTS) that can be used to assess the overall hazard of a chemical using GHS information. Previously, hazardous chemicals were designated and managed by the Chemical Management Act, but many more chemicals are now in use. Damage prediction modeling programs predict the extent of damage and proactively manage high-risk chemicals, but the lack of physical and chemical characterization information relating to chemicals has limitations that cannot be modeled. To overcome such limitations, a new method of chemical management prioritization was developed using the GHS and Mahalanobis-Taguchi System (MTS). For effective management, the risk of a chemical can be ranked according to a comprehensive risk assessment and calculated through multivariate analysis using the GHS. Relative hazards are then identified using MTS multivariate analysis with GHS information, even when there is insufficient information about the chemical's characteristics, and the method can be applied to a large number of different chemicals.

The transfer characteristics of heavy metals in electronic cigarette liquid.

In this research, the concentrations of six heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Ni, Fe, Cd, and Cr) in electronic cigarette (EC) solutions were determined to assess their association with EC use patterns. To this end, their contents were analyzed under three conditions: (1) ECL I: EC liquid was directly taken from EC liquid bottles as purchased from retail, (2) ECL II: EC liquid simply stored in the EC clearomizer for a certain period was collected without any puffing, and (3) ECL III: EC liquid remaining in the EC clearomizer after puffing. Each of all three types of electronic cigarette liquid (ECL) samples selected in this study was analyzed after being stored for up to seven days (at elapsed intervals of 1, 3, and 7 days). Zn and Pb were detected in all types of samples while Cd was all below method detection limit (MDL). Fe, Ni, and Cr were generally below MDL in ECL I, while it was not the case for ECL II and III samples. Especially, Zn, Pb, and Ni levels increased significantly with the use of EC. If the consumption of EC causes alterations in elemental content, such changes can be assessed in terms of ratio values such as "after/before use". The maximum ratio values for each target, when assessed using ECL III samples, were seen in the following order: 463 (Zn) > 315 (Ni) > 131 (Fe) > 47.9 (Cr) > 36.0 (Pb). As such, EC use is clearly demonstrated as the transfer route of heavy metals.

Exposure to inhalable aerosols and their chemical characteristics from different potential factors in urban office environments.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is one of important issues in indoor environment due to exposure to inhalable aerosol which is affected by indoor and outdoor factors. To demonstrate the effect of indoor and outdoor to the IAQ, this study presents three fractions of particulate matter (PM) (PM2.5, PM4, PM10), characterization of I/O ratios for PM under potential indoor (average occupancy) and outdoor factors (Asian dust, rain, wind, and snow days) and evaluation of chemical components in aerosols. In the chemical characteristics of PM, organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and trace elements were analyzed in indoors and outdoors. There was no significant difference of respirable aerosol (PM2.5 and PM4) concentration in different indoor environments. The concentration of OC in PM10 was lower in indoor than outdoor in summer and winter seasons, while the concentration of OC in PM2.5 was higher in indoor than outdoor. Also, the OC/EC ratios in PM2.5 were higher than those in PM10. Further, the ratios of trace elements in PM2.5 and PM10 were different at various locations within the building. This study demonstrated that the exposure to PM2.5 is greatly affected by outdoor environment. Although there was no difference in inhalable and respirable aerosol concentration at different locations within the building, the impact of outdoor factors is strongly supported by OC/EC ratios and PM2.5/PM10 ratios of trace elements. This study shows that chemical components through the HVAC system affected the exposure to the indoor respirable aerosol, which could lead to adverse effect on the indoor air quality.

Flammable Substances in Korea Considering the Domino Effect: Assessment of Safety Distance.

Benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) are flammable substances used in a wide range of raw materials and products. Chemical accidents caused by flammable substances are different from leakage accidents of toxic materials. Initial explosions and fires may cause secondary or tertiary explosions, or fires with nearby flammable materials. This is called the domino effect. In cases of leakage accidents, it is possible to prevent accidents through early control of the leakage to the outside or by bypassing, but it is difficult to cope with explosions because they occur instantaneously. To prevent explosions due to the domino effect, a safety distance must be set. Safety distances vary widely by country. In the case of the United States (US) or the European Union (EU), safety distances are set in various ways depending on the chemical industry and the amount of flammable substances being handled. However, countries such as Korea, Taiwan, and Dubai have comprehensive regulation, and the safety distances are small. In this study, we simulated the range of overpressure at which other chemical equipment could explode when an explosion occurs in a flammable BTX storage tank. There are three types of analysis methods of vapor cloud explosion. PHAST (Process Hazard Analysis Software Tool) and ALOHA (Areal Location of Hazardous Atmosphere) were selected to model explosions using three methods (trinitrotoluene equivalence method, the Netherlands Organization multi-energy method, and Baker-Strehlow-Tang method). The results indicated that the safety distances in the US and EU showed low probability of a domino effect, but those in Korea, Dubai, and Taiwan could lead to a secondary explosions. Therefore, it is necessary to propose a reasonable method to determine safety distances considering the amount and physicochemical characteristics of the flammable substances being used.

Suitability Assessment of Legal Regulation of Chemical Concentrations According to Vapor Pressure and Damage Radius.

Many chemicals used in the industrial field present risks, which differ depending on their chemical properties. Additionally, their various physicochemical properties change considerably with concentration. Many chemicals are used in customized processes in factories in the form of different aqueous solutions. The Korean Chemicals Control Act evaluates "hazardous chemicals," describes their risks to the public, and regulates their concentration. To prepare against chemical accidents, factories construct models of potential damage radius, which is greatly influenced by a chemical's vapor pressure. This study selected substances with widely varying vapor pressures (hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, aqueous ammonia, and hydrogen peroxide) and compared the results of different modeling programs (KORA, ALOHA, PHAST, and RMP*Comp) for various aqueous solution concentrations. The results showed that damage radius and vapor pressure increased similarly for each substance. Damage radius was negligible at low concentrations for all substances studied. Damage radius of ammonia solution increased with vapor pressure. Hydrogen fluoride is not found in aqueous solution at concentrations of less than 37%, and hydrogen peroxide does not show a large damage radius at low concentrations. However, the Chemicals Control Act strictly regulates hydrogen fluoride concentration beginning at 1%, hydrogen chloride and aqueous ammonia at 10%, and hydrogen peroxide at 6%. To effectively prepare against chemical accidents, we must examine scientifically-based, suitable regulations based on physicochemical properties.

Comparison of Pure-Tone Average Methods for Estimation of Hearing Loss Caused by Environmental Exposure to Lead and Cadmium: Does the Pure-Tone Average Method Which Uses Low-Frequency Ranges Underestimate the Actual Hearing Loss Caused by Environmental Lead and Cadmium Exposure?

Previous studies have reported that exposure to lead and cadmium can damage the inner ear receptor, which perceives high-frequency sounds. However, few studies have used the pure-tone average (PTA), including high-frequency ranges, for the estimation of hearing loss caused by lead and cadmium exposure. We estimated hearing loss using the PTA test, in low-frequency, speech frequency, and high-frequency ranges and compared the differences in the results using 3 PTA calculation methods. We analyzed the data of 2,387 participants, between the ages of 19 and 85 years, that were obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) of 2010-2012. A dose-response relationship between hearing loss and heavy metal exposure was observed in the high-frequency method after adjustment for confounding factors. When using the high-frequency PTA, it was found that doubling of the levels of lead and cadmium in the blood was associated with a 1.88- (95% CI 1.11-3.17) and 1.89-fold (95% CI 1.02-3.50) increase in the OR for hearing loss. In the case of the low-frequency and speech frequency PTA, however, there were no significant relationships between hearing loss and the concentrations of lead and cadmium in the blood. The outcomes of the present study suggest that the estimation of hearing loss caused by environmental exposure to lead and cadmium is affected by the frequencies used in the PTA calculation.

Development of a Screening Method for Health Hazard Ranking and Scoring of Chemicals Using the Mahalanobis⁻Taguchi System.

For efficient management of chemicals, it is necessary to preferentially select hazardous chemicals as being high-priority through a screening method. Over the past 20 years, chemical ranking and scoring (CRS) methods have been applied in many countries; however, these CRS methods have a few limitations. Most of the existing methods only use some of the variables to calculate the hazard of chemicals or use the most conservative score without consideration of the correlation between chemical toxicities. This evaluation could underestimate or overestimate the real health hazard of the chemicals. To overcome the limitations of these methods, we developed a new CRS method using the Mahalanobis⁻Taguchi System (MTS). The MTS, which conducts multivariate analysis, produced chemical rankings that took into accounts the correlation between variables related to chemical health hazards. Also, the proportion of chemicals managed by the Korea Chemicals Control Act that were given a high rating appeared to be higher when the MTS was used, compared to the existing methods. These results indicated that the new method evaluated the health hazards of chemicals more accurately, and we expect that the MTS method could be applied to a greater range of chemicals than the existing CRS methods.

Alternative Risk Assessment for Dangerous Chemicals in South Korea Regulation: Comparing Three Modeling Programs.

Unlike other countries, the Korean chemical industry does not clearly distinguish between industrial sites and residential areas. The 2012 Gumi Hydrogen Fluoride Accident revealed that chemical accidents could cause damage to nearby residents. Accordingly, the Chemicals Control Act was enacted in 2015, which requested industrial sites using chemicals to perform a risk assessment for all chemical facilities and to distribute the results to the local residents and governments. Industrial businesses had the responsibility of warning the local residents. In this study, two programs (Areal Location of Hazardous Atmospheres (ALOHA), Process Hazard Analysis Software Tool (PHAST)) were compared with Korea Off-site Risk Assessment Supporting Tool (KORA), which is the current representative risk assessment program used in Korea Chemicals Control Act. The five chemical substances (nitric acid, hydrogen chloride, ammonia, sulfuric acid, and formaldehyde) most commonly involved in chemical accidents were selected. The range of influence of ERPG-2 (Emergency Response Planning Guideline) on chemical accidents was modeled and the results compared. ALOHA was found to be the most suitable program for the determination of toxicity for nitrate acid and ammonia, KORA for hydrogen chloride and sulfuric acid, and PHAST for formaldehyde. To maximize the safety of many local residents and to prepare for chemical accidents, risk assessments should be conducted using a variety of risk assessment programs, and the worst-case damage radius should be determined.

Sensitivity Analysis of Weather Variables on Offsite Consequence Analysis Tools in South Korea and the United States.

We studied sensitive weather variables for consequence analysis, in the case of chemical leaks on the user side of offsite consequence analysis (OCA) tools. We used OCA tools Korea Offsite Risk Assessment (KORA) and Areal Location of Hazardous Atmospheres (ALOHA) in South Korea and the United States, respectively. The chemicals used for this analysis were 28% ammonia (NH3), 35% hydrogen chloride (HCl), 50% hydrofluoric acid (HF), and 69% nitric acid (HNO3). The accident scenarios were based on leakage accidents in storage tanks. The weather variables were air temperature, wind speed, humidity, and atmospheric stability. Sensitivity analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program for dummy regression analysis. Sensitivity analysis showed that impact distance was not sensitive to humidity. Impact distance was most sensitive to atmospheric stability, and was also more sensitive to air temperature than wind speed, according to both the KORA and ALOHA tools. Moreover, the weather variables were more sensitive in rural conditions than in urban conditions, with the ALOHA tool being more influenced by weather variables than the KORA tool. Therefore, if using the ALOHA tool instead of the KORA tool in rural conditions, users should be careful not to cause any differences in impact distance due to input errors of weather variables, with the most sensitive one being atmospheric stability.

A mechanical pencil lead-supported carbon nanotube/Au nanodendrite structure as an electrochemical sensor for As(iii) detection.

A mechanical pencil lead (MPL), an easily obtainable carbon-based material with a consistent size, was used as a frame to construct an MPL-supported carbon nanotube/Au nanodendrite (MPL-CNT/AuND) sensor through simple electrodeposition of Au onto the MPL in the presence of CNTs. A nanodendrite structure was adopted to ensure large numbers of active electrochemical sites because of its hierarchical structure with well-aligned terraces; the CNTs were used to firmly adhere the fabricated Au nanodendrites to the MPL surface to ensure ruggedness. The MPL-CNT/AuND structure was used to measure As3+ samples in a concentration range from 0.5 to 80 ppb using anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). The variation in peak intensities was linear (R2: 0.997), and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.4 ppb. The average relative standard deviation (RSD) of the peak intensities from the voltammograms of each sample collected using three separately prepared MPL-CNT/AuNDs was 8.7%, thereby demonstrating good sensor-to-sensor reproducibility. Furthermore, when three As3+ samples prepared in tap water were measured, the accuracy was maintained without noticeable degradation and the response was steady up to 50-cycle measurements.

Characterization of particulate matter concentrations and bioaerosol on each floor at a building in Seoul, Korea.

Particulate matter (PM) in buildings are mostly sourced from the transport of outdoor particles through a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and generation of particle within the building itself. We investigated the concentrations and characteristic of indoor and outdoor particles and airborne bacteria concentrations across four floors of a building located in a high-traffic area. In all the floors we studied (first, second, fifth, and eighth), the average concentrations of particles less than 10 µm (PM10) in winter for were higher than those in summer. On average, a seasonal variation in the PM10 level was found for the first, fifth, and eighth floors, such that higher values occurred in the winter season, compared to the summer season. In addition, in winter, the indoor concentrations of PM10 on the first, fifth, and eighth floors were higher than those of the outdoor PM10. The maximum level of airborne bacteria concentration was found in a fifth floor office, which held a private academy school consisting of many students. Results indicated that the airborne bacteria remained at their highest concentration throughout the weekday period and varied by students' activity. The correlation coefficient (R (2)) and slope of linear approximation for the concentrations of particulate matter were used to evaluate the relationship between the indoor and outdoor particulate matter. These results can be used to predict both the indoor particle levels and the risk of personal exposure to airborne bacteria.

Emissions of amides (N,N-dimethylformamide and formamide) and other obnoxious volatile organic compounds from different mattress textile products.

The emission rates of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), formamide (FAd), and certain hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured from seventeen mattress textile samples with four different raw material types: polyurethane (PU: n=3), polyester/polyethylene (PE: n=7), ethylene vinyl acetate (EV: n=3), and polyvinyl chloride (PC: n=4). To simulate the emissions in a heated room during winter season, measurements were made under temperature-controlled conditions, i.e., 50°C by using a mini-chamber system made of a midget impinger. Comparison of the data indicates that the patterns were greatly distinguished between DMF and FAd. PU products yielded the highest mean emission rates of DMF (2940 µg m(-2)h(-1): n=3) followed by PE (325 µg m(-2)h(-1): n=7), although its emission was not seen from other materials (EV and PC). In contrast, the pattern of FAd emission was moderately reversed from that of DMF: EV>PC>PE>PU. The results of our analysis confirm that most materials used for mattress production have the strong potential to emit either DMF or FAd in relatively large quantities while in use in children׳s care facilities, especially in winter months. Moreover, it was also observed that an increase in temperature (25°C to 50°C) had a significant impact on the emission rate of FAd and other hazardous VOCs. In addition to the aforementioned amides, the study revealed significant emissions of a number of hazardous VOCs, such as aromatic and carbonyl compounds.

Effects of sorbent materials on the cryofocusing analysis of gaseous reduced sulphur compounds.

The relative performance of different sorbent materials employed in the cryofocusing (e.g. in cold trap (CT) unit) stage was investigated at sub-ambient temperature by the thermal desorption (TD)-gas chromatography (GC)-pulsed flame photometric detector. To this end, the TD-based calibration of five reduced sulphur compounds (RSC: H2S, CH3SH, CS2, DMS and DMDS) and SO2 was carried out via the Peltier cooling system with five types of sorbent combinations such as two single-bed (Tenax TA and Silica gel) plus three multibed types (a combination of either two from the following three sorbents: Tenax TA, Silica gel and Carbopack B). Relative performance of each of all five CT options, if evaluated in terms of response factors for each compound, demonstrated that each CT composition acts as an important criterion to distinguish detection properties between light and heavy sulphur species. Although the relative response of H2S and CH3 SH was systematically distinguishable between the CT types, that of SO2 was the most complicated to interpret. According to this study, the two CT types consisting of Carbopack B and Silica gel (CS-0.4 and CS-0.6) were the optimum choices for sulphur gas analysis in terms of basic QA parameters (sensitivity, reproducibility and linearity).