Grantee Research Project Results
Novel Detection Interface for Gas Chromatography/Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Analysis
EPA Contract Number: 68D01042Title: Novel Detection Interface for Gas Chromatography/Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Analysis
Investigators: Micheels, Ronald H.
Small Business: Polestar Technologies Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: April 1, 2001 through September 1, 2001
Project Amount: $69,985
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2001) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration , SBIR - Monitoring , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
Polestar Technologies, Inc., proposes to develop a field-portable gas chromatography/ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (GC/FTIR) instrument that is based on a novel infrared detection interface for the hyphenated GC/FTIR analysis technique. The new GC/FTIR interface will have substantial advantages over the conventional infrared lightpipe interface in improved detection sensitivity, reduced cost, and greater portability. Currently, GC/FTIR analysis is used less frequently than gas chromatography/mass spectrometry because of the higher instrument costs and reduced sensitivity of GC/FTIR, even though this infrared detection technique provides better identification of chemical isomers and can handle much higher analyte concentrations without sample dilution. Portable GC/FTIR instruments have not yet been developed, in part because the current lightpipe interfaces employ a liquid nitrogen-cooled HgCdTe detector and are not very amenable to field-portable use. The proposed program will develop the improved GC/FTIR interface as well as a field-portable GC/FTIR instrument.The field-portable GC/FTIR system with the improved infrared interface will find applications such as analysis of environmental water, soil, and air samples for high-level and trace volatile and semivolatile organic compounds; and in the identification of unknown leaked or stored compounds at chemical accident or spill sites. Because of the improved performance and lower cost, there will be additional applications for the novel infrared interface in desktop GC/FTIR systems, including regulated analysis of aromatics and oxygenates in gasoline and the analysis of mixtures from organic synthesis reactions in industrial and academic research laboratories.
Supplemental Keywords:
small business, SBIR, monitoring, gas chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, GC/FTIR, volatile organic compounds, VOCs, engineering, chemistry, EPA, field-portable instrument., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Air, Toxics, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Chemistry, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry and Materials Science, Monitoring/Modeling, VOCs, Environmental Engineering, air quality, field detection, Fourier transform infrared, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, field portable monitoring, detection interface, atmospheric chemistry, environmental monitoring, spectroscopic, field portable systems, air quality field measurements, detection system, chemical detection techniques, field monitoring, aerosol analyzers, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Field Fourier Infrared (FT-IR), analysis of air and water samples, Fourier Transform Infrared measurement, field deployableProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.