Triple sorbent thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry determination of vapor phase organic contaminants

Conference · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994

OSTI ID:10158798

Ma, C Y; Skeen, J T; Dindal, A B; Higgins, C E; Jenkins, R A

A thermal desorption/ps chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD/GC/MS) has been evaluated for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCS) in vapor phase samples using Carbosieve S-III/Carbotrap/Carotrap C triple sorbent traps (TST) similar to those available from a commercial source. The analysis was carried out with a Hewlett-Packard 5985A or 5995 GC/MS system with a modified injector to adapt an inhouse manufactured short-path desorber for transferring desorbate directly onto a cryofocusing loop for subsequent GC/MS analysis. Vapor phase standards generated from twenty six compounds were used for method validation, including alkanes, alkyl alcohols, alkyl ketones, and alkyl nitrites, a group of representative compounds that have previously been identified in a target airborne matrix. The method was validated based on the satisfactory results in terms of reproducibility, recovery rate, stability, and linearity. A relative, standard deviation of 0.55 to 24.3 % was obtained for the entire TD process (generation of gas phase standards, spiking the standards on and desorbing from TST) over a concentration range of 20 to 500 ng/trap. Linear correlation coefficients for the calibration curves as determined ranged from 0.81 to 0.99 and limits of detection ranged from 3 to 76 ng. For a majority of standards, recoveries of greater than 90% were observed. For three selected standards spiked on TSTS, minimal loss (10 to 22%) was observed after storing the spiked in, a 4{degree}C refrigerator for 29 days. The only chromatographable artifact observed was a 5% conversion of isopropanol to acetone. The validated method been successfully applied, to the determination of VOCs collected from various emission sources in a diversified concentration range.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 10158798
• Report Number(s): CONF-9405167--1; ON: DE94013634
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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