Subsurface detection of fossil fuel pollutants by photoionization and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

This paper describes analysis of environmental pollutants at depth without bringing sample to the surface. It is based on an improved 3-stage Peltier freeze trap, which efficiently pre-concentrates volatile coal tar and petroleum hydrocarbons, and an integrated system for detecting pollutants on-lin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chemosphere (Oxford) 2010-09, Vol.80 (11), p.1370-1376
Main Authors: Robbat, Albert, Considine, Thomas, Antle, Patrick M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Coal tar
Coal Tar - analysis
Crude oil
Dense non aqueous phase liquids
Environmental Monitoring - methods
Exact sciences and technology
Fossil Fuels - analysis
Gas chromatography
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
GC/MS
Groundwater
Hazardous waste site characterization
Hazardous wastes
Hydrocarbons - analysis
In situ sampling probe
Kinetics
Mass spectrometry
Photochemical Processes
Photoionization
Photoionization detector
Pollutants
Pollution
Polytetrafluoroethylenes
Soil Pollutants - analysis
Subsurface
Water Pollutants - analysis
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Summary:This paper describes analysis of environmental pollutants at depth without bringing sample to the surface. It is based on an improved 3-stage Peltier freeze trap, which efficiently pre-concentrates volatile coal tar and petroleum hydrocarbons, and an integrated system for detecting pollutants on-line, in real-time by photoionization detection and quantitation by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) as the probe is advanced into the subsurface. Findings indicate measurement precision and accuracy for volatiles meet EPA criteria for hazardous waste site investigations. When a Teflon membrane inlet is used to detect contaminants in groundwater, its 140 °C temperature limit restricts analyte collection in soil to C 2-phenanthrenes. Two case studies demonstrate the probe is well-suited to tracking petroleum and coal tar plumes from source to groundwater.
ISSN:0045-6535
1879-1298
DOI:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2010.06.005