Optimized methods are needed for the analysis of toxic compounds in air to understand the impact to human health. People breathe approximately 20,000 liters of air a day so this concern is significant. EPA Method TO-17 is used to determine toxic compounds in air after they have been collected onto sorbent tubes. This application note demonstrates that the PerkinElmer TurboMatrix™ Thermal Desorber and the PerkinElmer Clarus® SQ 8 GC/MS will meet and exceed the criteria set forth in EPA method TO-17. Detailed instrument method parameters are presented, with precision, recovery, linearity and detection limit results.