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Measurement of volatile organics at part per billion concentrations using a cold trap inlet and high speed gas chromatography

Journal Article · · Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (United States)

A high speed GC system featuring a capillary cold trap inlet and variable speed electrometer-amplifier was developed and tested. The gas cooled inlet was used to collect and focus organic vapors from injection volumes of up to 1 ml. Resistance heating of the metal cold trap produced a narrow injection band that allowed simple separations to be completed in 5 to 20 seconds. Use of a variable speed electrometer-amplifier allowed the response time and noise suppression characteristics to be adjusted to the needs of the specific analysis. Simple mixtures of organics including aromatics, alkanes and chlorinated hydrocarbons were separated in 20 seconds or less. The limits of detection for 13 test compounds ranged from less than 1 part per billion by volume (ppbv) to about 50 ppbv. Data presented here indicate that high speed GC using a cold trap inlet may be a feasible approach for near real-time measurement of volatile organics in ambient air.

OSTI ID:
5042406
Journal Information:
Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (United States) Vol. 41:8; ISSN JAWAE; ISSN 1047-3289
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English