Permanent gas analysis using gas chromatography with vacuum ultraviolet detection.
The analysis of complex mixtures of permanent gases consisting of low molecular weight hydrocarbons, inert gases, and toxic species plays an increasingly important role in today's economy. A new gas chromatography detector based on vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectroscopy (GC-VUV), which simultaneously collects full scan (115-240 nm) VUV and UV absorption of eluting analytes, was applied to analyze mixtures of permanent gases. Sample mixtures ranged from off-gassing of decomposing Li-ion and Li-metal batteries to natural gas samples and water samples taken from private wells in close proximity to unconventional natural gas extraction. Gas chromatography separations were performed with a porous layer open tubular column. Components such as C1-C5 linear and branched hydrocarbons, water, oxygen, and nitrogen were separated and detected in natural gas and the headspace of natural gas-contaminated water samples. Of interest for the transport of lithium batteries were the detection of flammable and toxic gases, such as methane, ethylene, chloromethane, dimethyl ether, 1,3-butadiene, CS2, and methylproprionate, among others. Featured is the capability for deconvolution of co-eluting signals from different analytes.
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States.
Ling
L
Bai
VUV Analytics, Inc., Austin, TX, United States.
Jonathan
J
Smuts
VUV Analytics, Inc., Austin, TX, United States.
Phillip
P
Walsh
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States.
Hui
H
Fan
Inform Environmental, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States.
Zacariah
Z
Hildenbrand
Department of Electrical Engineering, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States.
Derek
D
Wong
Department of Electrical Engineering, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States.
David
D
Wetz
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States. Electronic address: kschug@uta.edu.
Kevin A
KA
Schug
D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods*; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis*; D008094:Lithium / Q000737:chemistry; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet / Q000379:methods*; D014618:Vacuum
D005740:Gases; D008094:Lithium
Lithium-ion battery; Lithium-metal battery; Natural gas; Peak deconvolution; Water