Gas-chromatographic method for quantitative determination of C2 to C13 hydrocarbons in roadway-vehicle emissions

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5898722

Stump, F D; Dropkin, D L

A gas chromatographic system was used to quantitate more than 300 gas-phase hydrocarbons from background and roadside ambient air samples. Samples were simultaneously collected in Tedlar bags and on Tenax cartridges. Hydrocarbons from Tedlar bag-collected samples were quantitated on a gas chromatograph arranged in a dual-column configuration and equipped with a flame ionization detector. The C2 and C3 hydrocarbons were separated on a 5-m long stainless steel column packed with silica gel; C4 to C13 hydrocarbons were separated on a 125-m long glass capillary column containing 7.5% hydrophobic silica. A stainless steel hydrocarbon trap filled with untreated glass wool permitted the concentration of at least 4-L of sample at 70% relative humidity. This extends the detection limits for individual hydrocarbons to 15.0 parts per trillion carbon. A programmable valve controller maintained trap cooling during hydrocarbon concentration and thermally desorbed the hydrocarbons for gas chromatographic analysis.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (USA). Environmental Sciences Research Lab.
• OSTI ID: 5898722
• Report Number(s): PB-86-156882/XAB; EPA/600/J-85/254
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330704* -- Emission Control-- Hydrocarbons
500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
HYDROCARBONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
VEHICLES