title: The effect of cold trap adsorbents on the gas chromatographic analysis of ambient VOCs under Peltier cooling conditions.
abstract: In this work, the relative analytical performance of the GC-based detection method was investigated with a major focus on cold trap (CT) adsorbent materials against four aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (e. g., benzene, toluene, xylene, and styrene). A series of calibration experiments were hence conducted under cryofocusing conditions formed by the Peltier cooling system in a thermal desorber (TD) unit. During the course of this study, comparative calibration datasets were acquired for each of the three CT types: (i) CT (I) = Carbopack B + Carbopack C, (ii) CT (II) = Carbopack B + Carboxen 1000, and (iii) CT (III) = Tenax TA. All calibration datasets were obtained under subambient temperature (-10 degrees C) conditions controlled by the Peltier cooling system. The reliability of the calibration data was also assessed in an ancillary experiment with the aid of the modified injection through a thermal desorber (MITD) method. The results demonstrated that the GC detection properties of different VOCs were not altered significantly between different CT applications under Peltier conditions, although relative sensitivity could be distinguished moderately depending on the CT type.
authors.affiliation: Atmospheric Environment Laboratory, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Sejong University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Raktim
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: Ki-Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002138:Calibration; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals