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Title: Verifying Sensor Response to Difficult Chemicals with a New Test Chamber Concept

Abstract

In this article we discuss the application of technology innovations to optimize detection of hard-to-measure (less- or semi-volatile) compounds. These chemicals are found all around us: in pesticides and herbicides, the higher boiling polyaromatic hydrocarbons in diesel exhaust, and linked polyurethane foams in products ranging from hiking boots to acoustic ceilings. They appear in low concentrations and evaporate very slowly. These heavier chemicals are rarely measured accurately because they stick to surfaces and sampling equipment and, consequently, are not reliably sampled or delivered to analytical detectors. It’s like trying to identify cold, sticky honey by getting it to flow in through a sampling tube to a detector –it will hardly move. Honey generally coats out on surfaces and sample lines to the extent that even if it is detected, the amount present is vastly underestimated. Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) addressed the problem by developing a chamber facility with instrumentation that can overcome the under-reporting of these ubiquitous chemical compounds. The atmospheric chemistry chamber provides a controlled environment in which to certify the accuracy of and conditions under which sensors can best respond to volatile and semi-volatile chemicals. The facility is designed to handle and measure chemicals atmore » the levels at which they are found in nature. Test environments can be created in which atmospheric concentrations are at low part-per-trillion concentrations. These concentrations are equivalent to an herbicide off-gassing from a commercially grown apple. The chamber can be set up to simulate releases ranging from industrial vents with high concentrations to releases from surfaces, soils, and/or vegetation where the concentrations are low.« less

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
922189
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-42511
TRN: US200803%%264
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Sensors Magazine, 21(6)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 21; Journal Issue: 6
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; ACCURACY; ACOUSTICS; ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY; BOILING; DETECTION; HERBICIDES; HONEY; HYDROCARBONS; PESTICIDES; PLANTS; POLYURETHANES; SAMPLING; SOILS; sensors; testing; atmospheric testing; chemical testing

Citation Formats

Maughan, A D, Birnbaum, Jerome C, and Probasco, Kathleen M. Verifying Sensor Response to Difficult Chemicals with a New Test Chamber Concept. United States: N. p., 2004. Web.
Maughan, A D, Birnbaum, Jerome C, & Probasco, Kathleen M. Verifying Sensor Response to Difficult Chemicals with a New Test Chamber Concept. United States.
Maughan, A D, Birnbaum, Jerome C, and Probasco, Kathleen M. 2004. "Verifying Sensor Response to Difficult Chemicals with a New Test Chamber Concept". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/922189.
@article{osti_922189,
title = {Verifying Sensor Response to Difficult Chemicals with a New Test Chamber Concept},
author = {Maughan, A D and Birnbaum, Jerome C and Probasco, Kathleen M},
abstractNote = {In this article we discuss the application of technology innovations to optimize detection of hard-to-measure (less- or semi-volatile) compounds. These chemicals are found all around us: in pesticides and herbicides, the higher boiling polyaromatic hydrocarbons in diesel exhaust, and linked polyurethane foams in products ranging from hiking boots to acoustic ceilings. They appear in low concentrations and evaporate very slowly. These heavier chemicals are rarely measured accurately because they stick to surfaces and sampling equipment and, consequently, are not reliably sampled or delivered to analytical detectors. It’s like trying to identify cold, sticky honey by getting it to flow in through a sampling tube to a detector –it will hardly move. Honey generally coats out on surfaces and sample lines to the extent that even if it is detected, the amount present is vastly underestimated. Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) addressed the problem by developing a chamber facility with instrumentation that can overcome the under-reporting of these ubiquitous chemical compounds. The atmospheric chemistry chamber provides a controlled environment in which to certify the accuracy of and conditions under which sensors can best respond to volatile and semi-volatile chemicals. The facility is designed to handle and measure chemicals at the levels at which they are found in nature. Test environments can be created in which atmospheric concentrations are at low part-per-trillion concentrations. These concentrations are equivalent to an herbicide off-gassing from a commercially grown apple. The chamber can be set up to simulate releases ranging from industrial vents with high concentrations to releases from surfaces, soils, and/or vegetation where the concentrations are low.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/922189}, journal = {Sensors Magazine, 21(6)},
number = 6,
volume = 21,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2004},
month = {Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2004}
}