title: Detection of sulfur-free odorants in natural gas using ion mobility spectrometry.
abstract: Beside the primary motivation of the public gas suppliers for odorizing natural gas with a sulfur-free odorant, which relates to the image of the environment-friendly fuel, natural gas, competing with low-sulfur heating fuel and diesel, a question of crucial importance of how to detect such sulfur-free odorants comes up. Concerning the replacement of sulfur-containing by sulfur-free odorization, the availability of a fast and sensitive detection method that can, further, be used on-site plays a key role. The minimum concentration of the new sulfur-free odorant Gasodor S-Free (S-Free) in natural gas should be added at a level of at least 8.8 mg m(-3) to assure a significant warning smell. Therefore, a dynamic range between 0 and approx. 25 mg m(-3) must be realised in the rather complex matrix of natural gas. By means of a handheld ion mobility spectrometer, the odorant content in natural gas is determined within less than 80 s total analysis time directly at the gas pipe. The concentration of S-Free is monitored between 4 and 23 mg m(-3) respecting the quality of the natural gas (high- and low-caloric gas). Results of the validation using a gas chromatograph as a reference standard will be discussed in detail.
authors.affiliation: G.A.S. Gesellschaft für analytische Sensorsysteme mbH, Otto-Hahn-Str. 13, 44227, Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ruzsanyi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sielemann
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Baumbach
mesh_terms: D005579:Fossil Fuels / Q000032:analysis*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013455:Sulfur / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005579:Fossil Fuels; D013455:Sulfur