SEDL / STP / STP721-EB / STP27562S

Selective Gas Chromatographic Detection of Vapor-Phase Organics in Ambient Air

Bozzelli, JW
Associate professors, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.

Kebbekus, BB
Associate professors, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.

Pages: 10    Published: Jan 1980

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Abstract

High-resolution capillary-column gas chromatography (GC) efficiently separates the many organic compounds that exist in ambient air. However, the identification of these compounds by retention times alone is difficult. The response ratios of sample components on several different types of GC detectors can be used to identify selected peaks more positively. Electron capture (ECD), photoionization (PID), and flame ionization (FID) detectors have been evaluated in this study. Samples split between an ECD and FID are readily analyzed for such electron-capturing species as carbon tetrachloride and tetrachloroethylene. Replicate samples are run on a PID for identification of peaks due to aromatic compounds and other unsaturated materials. This system of three detectors gives sufficient information to confirm the identity of the compounds that have been chosen for quantitation.