TY - JOUR
T1 - Sub-ppb Level Detection of BTEX Gaseous Mixtures with a Compact Prototype GC Equipped with a Preconcentration Unit
AU - Lara-Lbeas, Irene
AU - Rodríguez-Cuevas, Alberto
AU - Andrikopoulou, Christina
AU - Person, Vincent
AU - Baldas, Lucien
AU - Colin, Stéphane
AU - Calvé, Stéphane Le
PY - 2019/3/13
Y1 - 2019/3/13
N2 - In this work, a compact gas chromatograph prototype for near real-time benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) detection at sub-ppb levels has been developed. The system is composed of an aluminium preconcentrator (PC) filled with Basolite C300, a 20 m long Rxi-624 capillary column and a photoionization detector. The performance of the device has been evaluated in terms of adsorption capacity, linearity and sensitivity. Initially, PC breakthrough time for an equimolar 1 ppm BTEX mixture has been determined showing a remarkable capacity of the adsorbent to quantitatively trap BTEX even at high concentrations. Then, a highly linear relationship between sample volume and peak area has been obtained for all compounds by injecting 100-ppb samples with volumes ranging from 5-80 mL. Linear plots were also observed when calibration was conducted in the range 0-100 ppb using a 20 mL sampling volume implying a total analysis time of 19 min. Corresponding detection limits of 0.20, 0.26, 0.49, 0.80 and 1.70 ppb have been determined for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m/p-xylenes and o-xylene, respectively. These experimental results highlight the potential applications of our device to monitor indoor or outdoor air quality.
AB - In this work, a compact gas chromatograph prototype for near real-time benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) detection at sub-ppb levels has been developed. The system is composed of an aluminium preconcentrator (PC) filled with Basolite C300, a 20 m long Rxi-624 capillary column and a photoionization detector. The performance of the device has been evaluated in terms of adsorption capacity, linearity and sensitivity. Initially, PC breakthrough time for an equimolar 1 ppm BTEX mixture has been determined showing a remarkable capacity of the adsorbent to quantitatively trap BTEX even at high concentrations. Then, a highly linear relationship between sample volume and peak area has been obtained for all compounds by injecting 100-ppb samples with volumes ranging from 5-80 mL. Linear plots were also observed when calibration was conducted in the range 0-100 ppb using a 20 mL sampling volume implying a total analysis time of 19 min. Corresponding detection limits of 0.20, 0.26, 0.49, 0.80 and 1.70 ppb have been determined for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m/p-xylenes and o-xylene, respectively. These experimental results highlight the potential applications of our device to monitor indoor or outdoor air quality.
KW - BTEX
KW - Microfluidics
KW - Miniaturized gas chromatograph
KW - PID detector
KW - Preconcentrator
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85063576902&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/10/3/187
U2 - 10.3390/mi10030187
DO - 10.3390/mi10030187
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85063576902
SN - 2072-666X
VL - 10
JO - Micromachines
JF - Micromachines
IS - 3
ER -