title: Infrared hollow waveguide sensors for simultaneous gas phase detection of benzene, toluene, and xylenes in field environments.
abstract: Simultaneous and molecularly selective parts-per-billion detection of benzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTX) using a thermal desorption (TD)-FTIR hollow waveguide (HWG) trace gas sensor is demonstrated here for the first time combining laboratory calibration with real-world sample analysis in field. A calibration range of 100-1000 ppb analyte/N(2) was developed and applied for predicting the concentration of blinded environmental air samples within the same concentration range, and demonstrate close agreement with the validation method used here, GC-FID. The analyte concentration prediction capability of the TD-FTIR-HWG trace gas sensor also compares well with the industrial standard and other experimental techniques including GC-PID, ultrafast GC-FID, and GC-DMS, which were simultaneously operated in the field. With the advent of a quantum cascade laser with emission frequencies specifically tailored to efficiently overlap benzene absorption as the most relevant analyte, the overall sensor footprint could be considerably reduced to ultimately yield hand-held trace gas sensors facilitating direct and real-time detection of BTX in air down to low ppb levels.
authors: Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0400, United States.
authors: Christina R
authors: CR
authors: Young
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: Menegazzo
authors: Andrew E
authors: AE
authors: Riley
authors: Cornelius H
authors: CH
authors: Brons
authors: Frank P
authors: FP
authors: DiSanzo
authors: Jacquelyn L
authors: JL
authors: Givens
authors: John L
authors: JL
authors: Martin
authors: Mark M
authors: MM
authors: Disko
authors: Boris
authors: B
authors: Mizaikoff