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GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC METHOD FOR QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF C2 TO C13 HYDROCARBONS IN ROADWAY VEHICLE EMISSIONS
Citation:
Stump, F. AND D. Dropkin. GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC METHOD FOR QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF C2 TO C13 HYDROCARBONS IN ROADWAY VEHICLE EMISSIONS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-85/254 (NTIS PB86156882).
Description:
A gas chromatographic system was used to quantitate more than 300 gas-phase hydrocarbons from background and roadside ambient air samples. Samples were simultaneously collected in Tedlar bags and on Tenax cartridges. Hydrocarbons from Tedlar bag-collected samples were quantitated on a gas chromatograph arranged in a dual column configuration and equipped with a flame ionization detector. The C2 and C3 hydrocarbons were separated on a 5-m long stainless steel column packed with silica gel; C4 to C13 hydrocarbons were separated on a 125-m long glass capillary column containing 7.5% hydrophobic silica. A stainless steel hydrocarbon trap filled with untreated glass wool permitted the concentration of at least 4-L of sample at 70% relative humidity. This extends the detection limits for individual hydrocarbons to 15.0 parts per trillion carbon. A programmable valve controller maintained trap cooling during hydrocarbon concentration and thermally desorbed the hydrocarbons for gas chromatographic analysis.