Field-deployable monitors for volatile organic compounds in air. (Essential capabilities of a portable gas chromatograph)
Volatile organic compounds in ambient air are usually estimated by trapping them from air or collecting whole air samples and returning them to a laboratory for analysis by gas chromatography using selective detection. Immediate data can be obtained, and sampling errors minimized, by analyzing with a field-deployable instrument at the time samples are collected. Portable gas chromatographs are available, but they don't fully meet the need for quick, high-quality data under field conditions. Shortcomings include insensitive detectors, non-selective detectors, poor resolution, retention time drift, maladroit data processing schemes, excessive energy consumption, and vulnerability to weather. Improved waterproofing, temperature regulation, and energy efficiency are particularly crucial to true field-deployability. Mass spectrometric detection, high-speed chromatography, polycapillary chromatography, and peak modulation may lead to useful enhancements in future.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States). Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Lab.
- OSTI ID:
- 6530084
- Report Number(s):
- PB-93-185700/XAB; EPA-600/A-93/085
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
PORTABLE EQUIPMENT
QUALITY CONTROL
AIR POLLUTION
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CONSUMPTION RATES
DATA PROCESSING
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
ERRORS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FIELD TESTS
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
LEAD
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MODULATION
MONITORS
PROCESSING
RESOLUTION
RETENTION
SAMPLING
SPECTROMETERS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TRAPPING
VULNERABILITY
WATERPROOFING
WEATHERING
CHROMATOGRAPHY
CONTROL
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
MONITORING
POLLUTION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPECTROSCOPY
TESTING
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)