Use of solid-phase microextraction for the detection of acetic acid by ion-trap gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and application to indoor levels in museums

A simple and efficient method using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography–ion trap mass spectrometry (GC–ITMS) was developed for the analysis of acetic acid in air. The choice of the SPME fibre revealed to be critical as well as the sampling and desorption time. A dilution vessel was used for calibration. The precision of the method was found to be 4.7% relative standard deviation (RSD) and the detection limit 5.7 μg m−3. The SPME–GC–MS technique was applied to the analysis of acetic acid in museum atmospheres.