Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)


Print Feedback Export to File
18167 
Book/Book Chapter 
A method of atmospheric solvent vapor sampling on activated charcoal in connection with gas chromatography 
Otterson, EJ; Guy, CU 
1964 
Philadelphia, PA 
NIOSH/00131838 
Sixth Annual Meeting of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists 
37-46 
A method for collecting atmospheric solvent vapors using activated charcoal was evaluated. A standard sample volume of 10 liters of air sampled at 1 liter per minute was collected in a tube packed with 4 inches of 20/40 mesh activated charcoal. The charcoal was then desorbed with suitable solvent (methyl-alcohol, xylene, or carbon-disulfide) and the resulting solution was injected into the chromatograph. A liquid standard was prepared equivalent to the amount of solvent present in a 10 liter xylene air sample. Overall efficiency was determined by comparing chamber samples with liquid standards. Carbon-disulfide was the best desorber for solvent vapors collected on activated charcoal. The efficiency of 2 inch activated charcoal tubes at toluene vapor concentrations of 50 parts per million (ppm) in 5 liters and 15 liters was 81 and 82 percent, respectively. At 200ppm in 5, 10, and 20 liter volumes, efficiencies were 79.8, 77.4, and 77.8 percent, respectively. The authors conclude that they have devised a method that retains the basic concepts of industrial hygiene and embraces some new concepts. 
In: Transactions of the 26th annual meeting of the American Conference of Governmental and Industrial Hygienists; April; Philadelphia, PA. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental and Industrial Hygienists; pp. 37-43. 
Philadelphia, PA