ABSTRACT
This chapter briefly discusses the application, chemical properties and physical properties of acetonitrile. It presents detailed information on the air analysis and analysis of aqueous and nonaqueous samples of acetonitrile. Acetonitrile is used as a solvent for polymers. It readily mixes with water and most organic solvents, and is immiscible with petroleum fractions and some saturated hydrocarbons. During the analysis of aqueous and nonaqueous samples of acetonitrile, aqueous samples are directly injected onto a gas chromatography (GC) column, and are determined by flame ionization detector (FID). Alternatively, sample aliquot is thermally desorbed under the purge of an inert gas. During the air analysis of acetonitrile, air is drawn through solid sorbent tube containing coconut shell charcoal. Then, the analyte is desorbed with benzene and determined by GC-FID (NIOSH Method).
