Grantee Research Project Results
A Membrane Preconcentrator for Portable Trace VOC Detectors
EPA Contract Number: EPD06030Title: A Membrane Preconcentrator for Portable Trace VOC Detectors
Investigators: Lin, Haiqing
Small Business: Membrane Technology and Research Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: March 1, 2006 through August 31, 2006
Project Amount: $69,994
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2006) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation , SBIR - Waste , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
The sensitivity of low-cost, portable volatile organic compound (VOC) detectors currently in use is low, which limits their application in many situations. More sensitive detectors are more expensive and less robust and not suitable for field use. This Phase I project involves the development of a membrane-based preconcentrator able to concentrate trace amounts of VOC contaminants to levels that can be measured easily by existing portable detectors. The membrane concentrator is simple, compact, and lightweight. Only a small vacuum pump and blower are required to power the unit.
In the Phase I project, a prototype preconcentrator based on a new type of membrane will be constructed. The device will be operated with model VOC/air mixtures to demonstrate the overall feasibility of the approach. The system will be considered successful if it can concentrate parts per billion levels of VOCs in air streams at least 100-fold. In Phase II, an integrated system consisting of the membrane preconcentrator and a suitable detector will be built and demonstrated.
If successfully developed, the portable system will be used widely to determine VOC concentrations for environmental monitoring and for process control in chemical plants. The membrane concentrator component cost is not expected to be more the $5,000, so the improvement in performance of existing detectors will be achieved with only a small increase in total instrument cost.
Supplemental Keywords:
small business, SBIR, volatile organic compounds, VOC, VOC detectors, membrane-based preconcentrator, environmental monitoring, air quality, public health, analytical, EPA,, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, Environmental Chemistry, Monitoring/Modeling, Chemicals, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Monitoring, field portable monitoring, membrane technology, membrane concentrator, atmospheric chemistry, aerosol analyzers, atmospheric measurements, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), air quality assessmentsProgress and Final Reports:
SBIR Phase II:
Membrane Preconcentrator for Portable Trace VOC DetectorsThe 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.