Analysis of trace oxygenated hydrocarbons in the environment

✍ Scribed by David Pierotti

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 1990
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 519 KB
• Volume: 10
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0167-7764
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00115780

✦ Synopsis

A technique has been developed which can measure low-molecular-weight (C2--C5) oxygenated hydrocarbons down to concentrations of less than 10 parts per trillion (10 -12) in the atmosphere. The method uses cryogenic trapping of trace gases from the air, and two-dimensional gas chromatography (2I)GC) with flame ionization and photo-ionization detectors to analyze the samples. The method has been used to make extensive measurements in the field, and it is capable of measuring all of the C2--C5 carbonyl compounds in clean tropospheric air. The 2DGC analytical system also makes it possible to prepare accurate, reproducible standards of the low-molecularweight oxygenated hydrocarbons at trace levels.