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24-HOUR DIFFUSIVE SAMPLING OF 1,3-BUTADIENE IN AIR ONTO CARBOPACK X SOLID ADSORBENT FOLLOWED BY THERMAL DESORPTION/GC/MS ANALYSIS - FEASIBILITY STUDY
Citation:
McClenny, W A., D A. Whitaker, K. D. Oliver, H. H. Jacumin Jr., AND E. H. Daughtrey Jr. 24-HOUR DIFFUSIVE SAMPLING OF 1,3-BUTADIENE IN AIR ONTO CARBOPACK X SOLID ADSORBENT FOLLOWED BY THERMAL DESORPTION/GC/MS ANALYSIS - FEASIBILITY STUDY. Presented at Symposium on Air Quality Measurement Methods and Technology, Research Triangle Park, NC, April 20-22, 2004.
Impact/Purpose:
Develop innovative and customized new measurement approaches for air toxic VOCs as requested by methods development clients.
Description:
Diffusive sampling of 1,3-butadiene for 24 hr onto the graphitic adsorbent Carbopack X packed in a stainless steel tube badge (6.3 mm o.d., 5 mm i.d., and 90 mm in length) with analysis by thermal desorption/gas chromatography (GC)/mass spectrometry (MS) has been evaluated in controlled tests. A test matrix of 42 trace-level volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in humidified zero air was established by dynamic dilution of compressed gas standards flowing through an environmental chamber. Conditions for both automated thermal desorption of the badge, including pre-desorption dry purging, and GC/MS analyses (column flow rate and temperature programming profile) were optimized for specificity, precision, and sensitivity of response. Analytical system responses for sets of tubes exposed to a given 1,3-butadiene concentration were typically precise, e.g., a % RSD < 10% at 1.1 ug/m3 (0.5 ppbv), and system response was approximately linear with concentration over the range 0-9 ug/m3. No significant systematic variations of response were observed for changes in sample humidity and temperature (35% and 75% RH at 16, 20, and 29 "C). Loss of 1,3-butadiene from the tube badge due to reverse diffusion into clean air over 12 hr after an initial 12-hr exposure at 9 ug/m3 gave an 11% response decrease. Adding 100 ppbv (~ 200 ug/m3) of ozone during the second 12 hr caused no additional response change.
This work has been partially funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under Contract 68-D-00-206 to ManTech Environmental Technology, Inc. This paper has been reviewed in accordance with the Agency's peer and administrative review policies and approved for presentation and publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.