A High Efficiency All Glass Sampling and Concentration Device for Adsorptive Semivolatile Organics

Abstract

A low-volume, inert sampling and enrichment device for semivolatile organic vapors is described. The device consists of two concentric fused silica capillaries. A small portion of the inter-capillary volume, cooled with a burst of compressed carbon dioxide, serves as a trap for the semivolatile organics. The low mass of the trap permits rapid sampling and desorption cycles suitable for applications requiring fast monitoring of semivolatile chemicals. The device is devoid of switching valves in the sampling train and consequently does not suffer from analyte loss due to irreversible adsorption or interference resulting from cross contamination. The device was successfully used for sampling low concentrations of highly adsorptive nitroaromatic compounds and is applicable for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Department(s)

Chemistry

Second Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Sponsor(s)

United States. Army Research Office

Keywords and Phrases

Adsorption; Capillary Tubes; Carbon Dioxide; Desorption; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; Silica; Volatile Organic Compounds; Inert Sampling Device; Atmospheric Chemistry; aromatic Nitro Compound; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxin; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon; Volatile Organic Compound; sampling; Volatile Organic Compound; accuracy; Adsorption; Air Monitor; Air Monitoring; Air Sampling; Article; Concentration Response; Device; Carbon Dioxide; Environmental Monitoring; Equipment Design; Organic Chemicals; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; Silicon Dioxide; Soil Pollutants; Specimen Handling; Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin; Volatilization; Nitroaeromatics; Semi-volatile Organics

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0045-6535

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2001 Elsevier, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 May 2001

Link to Full Text

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