Versatile gas/particle ion chromatograph.
A new, compact gas/particle ion chromatograph has been developed for measuring ionic constituents in PM2.5 (particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter < or = 2.5 microm) and water-soluble ionogenic gases. The instrument has separate sampling channels for gases and particles. In one, a membrane denuder collects soluble gases for preconcentration and analysis. In the other, a cyclone removes larger particles, a membrane denuder removes soluble gases, and a continuously wetted hydrophilic filter collects particles. A single, multiport, syringe pump handles liquid transport, and one conductivity detector measures anions and ammonium for both channels. Electrodialytically generated gradient hydroxide eluent permits 20 min chromatographic runs. Gas/particle samples are each collected for 40 min, butthe sampling intervals are staggered by 20 min. Liquid samples from the gas denuder and particle collector are aspirated and preconcentrated on sequential cation and anion concentrators and transferred respectively to an ammonia transfer device and an anion separation column. The flow configuration results in an ammonium peak before anion peaks in the chromatogram. The system measures ammonia, organic acids (such as acetic, formic, and oxalic acids), HCl, HONO, SO2, HNO3, and the corresponding ions in the aerosol phase. Low ng/m3 to sub-ng/m3 limits of detection (LODs) are attained for most common gases and particulate constituents, the LODs for gaseous SO2 to NH3 range, for example, from sub parts per trillion by volume (sub-pptv) to approximately 5 pptv.
Ullah
S M Rahmat
SM
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409-1061, USA.
Takeuchi
Masaki
M
Dasgupta
Purnendu K
PK
D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005374:Filtration; D005740:Gases; D010316:Particle Size; D013048:Specimen Handling
D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D005740:Gases