Atomic emission detector with gas chromatographic separation and cryogenic pre-concentration (CryoTrap–GC–AED) for atmospheric trace gas measurements

A gas detection system has been developed, characterized, and deployed for pressurized gas-phase sample analyses and near-real-time online measurements. It consists of a cryogenic pre-concentrator (CryoTrap), a gas chromatograph (GC), and a new high-resolution atomic emission detector (AED III HR)....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Atmospheric measurement techniques 2021-03, Vol.14 (3), p.1817-1831
Main Authors: Karu, Einar, Li, Mengze, Ernle, Lisa, Brenninkmeijer, Carl A. M, Lelieveld, Jos, Williams, Jonathan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air sampling
Boreal forests
Bromine
Calibration
Carbonyl compounds
Carbonyl sulfide
Carbonyls
Chromatography
Concentrators
Detection
Emission lines
Emissions
Gas chromatography
Gases
Iodine
Lower stratosphere
Nitrogen
Organic compounds
Organosulfur compounds
Plasma
Sensors
Stratosphere
Sulfides
Sulfur
Sulphides
Sulphur
Trace gases
Troposphere
Upper troposphere
VOCs
Volatile organic compounds
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Summary:A gas detection system has been developed, characterized, and deployed for pressurized gas-phase sample analyses and near-real-time online measurements. It consists of a cryogenic pre-concentrator (CryoTrap), a gas chromatograph (GC), and a new high-resolution atomic emission detector (AED III HR). Here the CryoTrap–GC–AED instrumental setup is presented, and the performance for iodine (1635 ± 135 counts I atom−1 pptv−1), sulfur (409 ± 57 counts S atom−1 pptv−1), carbon (636 ± 69 counts C atom−1 pptv−1), bromine (9.1 ± 1.8 counts Br atom−1 pptv−1), and nitrogen (28 ± 2 counts N atom−1 pptv−1) emission lines is reported and discussed. The limits of detection (LODs) are in the low parts per trillion by volume range (0.5–9.7 pptv), and the signal is linear to at least 4 orders of magnitude, which makes it a suitable method for diverse volatile organic compound (VOC) measurements in the atmosphere, even in remote unpolluted regions. The new system was utilized in a field study in a boreal forest at Hyytiälä, Finland, in late summer 2016, which made monoterpene measurements possible among other VOCs. Furthermore, pressurized global whole-air samples, collected on board the Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 IAGOS–CARIBIC aircraft in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere region, were measured with the new setup, providing data for many VOCs, including the long-lived organosulfur compound carbonyl sulfide.
ISSN:1867-8548
1867-1381
1867-8548
DOI:10.5194/amt-14-1817-2021