MEASUREMENT OF VAPOR-PHASE ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS AT HIGH-CONCENTRATIONS

Laboratory, industrial, chemical or other waste products may have constituents that evolve volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at very high concentrations. These could pose human health risks during handling, storage and disposal of the waste through inhalation, dermal exposure or explosion. Additionally, the release of VOCs can adversely impact the tropospheric chemistry, and in the case of halogenated compounds, the stratospheric ozone chemistry as well. Very precise and accurate methods exist for measurement of VOCs at trace levels; however, these are inappropriate for the high levels in waste headspace, which often approach saturation vapor pressure. This paper presents an inlet system and analytical method for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry designed specifically for measuring VOC concentrations greater than 10 ppm (v/v) in a gas matrix. The technique is shown to be effective for measuring selected common solvents including alcohols, ketones, halogenated hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds in an air matrix in stainless-steel sampling canisters. This work was performed under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between the US Environmental Protection Agency and Graseby/Nutech Corporation.