Analysis of the atmosphere for light hydrocarbons

Journal Article · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1967 · J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00022470.1967.10468960· OSTI ID:6411471

Stephens, E R; Burleson, F R

A procedure has been developed for the analysis of trace quantities of light hydrocarbons in air. A freeze-trap filled with chromatographic packing was installed in place of the gas sample loop of a flame ionization chromatograph. An air sample 0.1-0.5 liter volume was passed through the trap which was chilled with liquid oxygen. The trap was then brought to ice temperature and its contents simultaneously swept into the column. The resulting chromatogram could be used to determine about 25 hydrocarbons through n-hexane. The minimum detectable concentration was below 1 ppb for these hydrocarbons. With such sensitivity it is possible to make useful measurements even on samples of light air pollution. Air samples from the Riverside area were analyzed in this fashion starting in the summer of 1965. The relative amounts of these hydrocarbons were then compared with the distribution reported for the various known hydrocarbon sources. The attenuation of the more reactive hydrocarbons by photolysis was also observed. A system for irradiating trapped air samples was also constructed. Samples were collected in 5-gallon borosilicate bottles which were then irradiated with ultraviolet radiation and the concentration changes followed.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Riverside
• OSTI ID: 6411471
• Journal Information: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States) Vol. 17:3; ISSN JPCAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
AIR SAMPLERS
CALIFORNIA
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
DESIGN
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EQUIPMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION IX
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
MEASURING METHODS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOLYSIS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
RADIATIONS
SAMPLERS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRACE AMOUNTS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
USA