Gas chromatography-optical fiber detector for the speciation of aromatic hydrocarbons in confined areas

Anal Sci. 2008 Aug;24(8):963-6. doi: 10.2116/analsci.24.963.

Abstract

An analytical method, based on separation with gas chromatography (GC) and detection with optical fiber (OF), was used for the separation, detection and quantification of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, p-xylene, m-xylene and o-xylene. The use of OF as a detector is based on the variations of the reflected optical power detected when the aromatic compounds eluted from the GC column are sorbed in a thin polymeric film on a single-mode OF. General figures of merit, such as the analytical time, analytical error and analytical performance of GC-OF were similar to those of the classical analytical methods, such as a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID). However, the developed GC-OF method constitutes a much less expensive alternative for the speciation of aromatic hydrocarbons compounds, with high accuracy, and being most suitable for actual monitoring work on confined environments.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants / analysis
  • Benzene / analysis
  • Benzene Derivatives / analysis
  • Chromatography, Gas / instrumentation
  • Chromatography, Gas / methods*
  • Environmental Monitoring / instrumentation
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods*
  • Fiber Optic Technology*
  • Hydrocarbons, Aromatic / analysis*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Time Factors
  • Toluene / analysis
  • Xylenes / analysis

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Benzene Derivatives
  • Hydrocarbons, Aromatic
  • Xylenes
  • Toluene
  • 4-xylene
  • Benzene
  • ethylbenzene
  • 3-xylene
  • 2-xylene