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FURTHER CHARACTERIZATION OF SORBENTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING
Citation:
Piecewicz, J., J. Harris, AND P. Levins. FURTHER CHARACTERIZATION OF SORBENTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/7-79/216.
Description:
The report gives results of an ongoing experimental program to evaluate the breakthrough characteristics of sorbent resins for sampling of organic vapors using an elution analysis chromatographic technique. The effects of water vapor and CO2, at levels typical of gaseous effluents from combustion processes, on retention of nonpolar and polar species on two commonly used sorbents (XAD-2 and Tenax-GC) have been studied. Effects on XAd-2 were small but the volumetric capacity of Tenax-GC was substantially decreased. Other sorbents were characterized for potential use in vapor sampling systems: coconut-based charcoal, petroleum-based charcoal, silica gel, Ambersorb XE-340 and Xe-347, and XED-8. Retention volumes for XAD-8 and silica gel were roughly comparable to those of XAD-2 and Tenax-GC; those of the charcoals and the Ambersorbs were 2 to 4 orders of magnitude higher. Recovery of sorbate from charcoals is known to be poor in some cases, however, and recovery from the Ambersorbs is suspect but under investigation.