A novel procedure for the detection of personal care products (PCPs) in outdoor air: Occurrence in urban, coastal, alpine, and polar areas

Personal care products (PCPs) are compounds largely emitted and detected in the water compartment. However, as emerged in recent literature, their presence in the atmosphere is fundamental to understanding their environmental fate. Standardized procedures for the determination of PCPs in the atmosphere are still lacking. We developed a new analytical method to determine fragrances and UV filters in outdoor samples, focusing on their distribution both in the gas (Polyurethane foam; PUF) and Total Suspended Particulate (TSP; quartz filter) phases. A low-temperature (40 ◦C) solvent extraction procedure was adopted, followed by GC–MS/MS instrumental analyses. The method was tested on samples collected during summer 2023 in low and high anthropogenic-impacted sites: urban, coastal, and alpine areas of the Veneto Region in Italy, and a remote area in the Norwegian Arctic (Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard). Results showed the highest levels of ΣPCPs near the seashore (13–16 ng m− 3), reflecting the widespread use of sunscreen products in summer by touristic and recreational activities. Lower concentrations were observed in the urban area (ΣPCPs =6.0–8.5 ng m− 3), followed by the alpine samples from the Dolomites (ΣPCPs =1.6–3.0 ng m− 3). In the Arctic, ΣPCPs were orders of magnitude lower (0.11–1.3 ng m− 3) compared to the other sites. Among PCPs, Galaxolide, Tonalide and Ethylene Brassylate were generally the main musk fragrances, while Salicylates were the most abundant compounds among UV filters and non-musk fragrances. The selected PCPs were mainly distributed in the gas phase, with the exception of Octocrylene. This agrees with previous hypotheses and findings that associate this UV filter with the atmospheric particulate. The analytical method presented in this study will contribute to further understanding the behavior of PCPs in the atmosphere and to assess their long-range transport.