The contamination of fluorocarbon-film bags by hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00022470.1983.10465553· OSTI ID:5301162

Kelly, N A

Experiments were conducted to investigate the appearance of contaminants in fluorocarbon-film bags which have been widely used as photochemical reactors and storage containers in air pollution research. Clean air stored in such bags gradually become contaminated by a wide range of heavy hydrocarbons (greater than or equal to C/sub 5/) as well as by nitrogen oxides. Warming a bag dramatically increased the contamination rate for hydrocarbons. The substances observed in the bags appear to have originated in the air outside the bags and appeared in the bags due to the permeability of the film. When a bag was stored in a controlled clean environment, the rate of contamination by hydrocarbons was dramatically reduced. Experiments in which high concentration mixtures of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides were stored in the bags likewise showed that some high molecular weight hydrocarbons as well as NO and NO/sub 2/ permeate through the bag walls. Decontamination of the bags can be accomplished by storing them in a clean environment.

• Research Organization: General Motors Research Lab., Warren, MI
• OSTI ID: 5301162
• Journal Information: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States) Vol. 33:2; ISSN JPCAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
CHALCOGENIDES
CONTAMINATION
FLUORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCARBONS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERMEABILITY
POLLUTION
POLYETHYLENES
POLYMERS
POLYOLEFINS
POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE
SAMPLE HOLDERS
STORAGE