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Halvorsen RC, Trinklein TJ, Warren CG, Rogan RD, Synovec RE. Optimizing column-to-column retention time alignment in high-speed gas chromatography by combining retention time locking and correlation optimized warping. Talanta 2023; 254:124173. [PMID: 36512972 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2022.124173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
We examine and then optimize alignment of chromatograms collected on nominally identical columns using retention time locking (RTL), an instrumental alignment tool, and software-based alignment using correlation optimized warping (COW). For this purpose, three samples are constructed by spiking two sets of analytes into a base test mixture. The three samples are analyzed by high-speed gas chromatography with four nominally identical columns and identical separation conditions. The data is first analyzed without alignment, then using COW alone, then RTL alone, and finally with RTL followed by COW to correct the severe column-to-column misalignment. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to investigate how well each alignment method clustered the chromatograms into the three sample classes via a scores plot without being compromised by the specific column(s) used. The degree-of-class separation (DCS) is used as a classification metric, measured as the Euclidian distance between the centroids of two clusters in PC space in the scores plot, normalized by their pooled variance. With no alignment, the average DCS between sample classes (DCSsam) was 3.0, while the average DCS between the four nominally identical columns, i.e., column classes (DCScol) was 76.1 (ideally the DCScol should be 0), indicating the chromatograms were initially classified by the columns used. Using either COW or RTL alone also produced unsatisfactory results, with COW alone incorrectly aligning many peaks, leading to a DCSsam of only 1.9 and DCScol of 1.7, while RTL alone provided a DCSsam of 4.7 and DCScol of 4.2. Finally, using RTL followed by COW alignment, DCSsam increased to 32.5, indicating successful classification by chemical differences between sample classes, while the DCScol decreased to 0.4, indicating virtually no classification due to column-to-column differences, as desired. Thus, RTL provided a "first-order" correction of the initial retention mismatch observed for the nominally identical columns, while additional alignment via COW was required to optimize sample classification by PCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert C Halvorsen
- Department of Chemistry, Box 351700, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Timothy J Trinklein
- Department of Chemistry, Box 351700, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Cable G Warren
- Department of Chemistry, Box 351700, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Riley D Rogan
- Department of Chemistry, Box 351700, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Robert E Synovec
- Department of Chemistry, Box 351700, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
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Hou J, Yu C, Meng F, He X, Wang Y, Chen W, Li M. Succession of the microbial community during the process of mechanical and biological pretreatment coupled with a bio-filter for removal of VOCs derived from domestic waste: a field study. RSC Adv 2021; 11:39924-39933. [PMID: 35494144 PMCID: PMC9044773 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra05962a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Changes in the microbial community can not only reflect the efficiency of waste disposal, but also reveal the effect of odor control during the treatment process. This study aimed to evaluate the removal efficiency of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by the process of mechanical and biological pretreatment (MBP) coupled with a bio-filter (BF). An interesting phenomenon was found that the VOCs were effectively reduced through the MBP process. To understand the removal mechanism of VOCs, the abundance and diversity of microbial bacteria and fungi in the biological dehydration (BD) process, biological fermentation process, and BF process were explored. The abundance and diversity of microbes in the BF were relatively high, of which the bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Bacillus and Candida were the dominant species for VOCs treatment. The proposed technical process and the positive effects observed in this study indicate that it could be applied to the control of VOCs in the treatment of domestic waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences Beijing 100012 China .,State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution Beijing 100012 China
| | - Chengze Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences Beijing 100012 China .,State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution Beijing 100012 China
| | - Fanhua Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences Beijing 100012 China .,State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution Beijing 100012 China
| | - Xiaosong He
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences Beijing 100012 China .,State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution Beijing 100012 China
| | - Yong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences Beijing 100012 China .,State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution Beijing 100012 China
| | - Wangmi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences Beijing 100012 China .,State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution Beijing 100012 China
| | - Mingxiao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences Beijing 100012 China .,State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution Beijing 100012 China
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Rovira J, Nadal M, Schuhmacher M, Domingo JL. Environmental impact and human health risks of air pollutants near a large chemical/petrochemical complex: Case study in Tarragona, Spain. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 787:147550. [PMID: 33991912 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Chemical industries and oil refineries are known emission sources of environmental contaminants, such as metals/metalloids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), among others. Based on the toxicological potential of these pollutants, harmful health effects can be expected for the population living near these facilities. One of the largest chemical/petrochemical complexes in Europe is located in Tarragona County (Catalonia, Spain). In the last two decades, a number of investigations aimed at assessing the environmental impact of air pollutants potentially emitted by this industrial complex have been carried out. The present paper is a review of the available scientific information on the levels of air pollutants related with the activities of this chemical/petrochemical complex. Although there are currently some data on the environmental burdens of metals/metalloids, PAHs, VOCs and PCDD/Fs, there is an evident lack of specific biological monitoring studies on human health. Taking into account the amount of chemicals released to air and their toxicity, it is essential to perform an in-depth analysis of the current health status of the population living in Tarragona County.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joaquim Rovira
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain; Departament d'Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Martí Nadal
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Marta Schuhmacher
- Departament d'Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - José L Domingo
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain.
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Li C, Han W, Peng M, Zhang M, Yao X, Liu W, Wang T. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Gas Sampling System for Analyzing CO 2 and Atmospheric Particulate Matter in Laboratory. SENSORS 2020; 20:s20041051. [PMID: 32075222 PMCID: PMC7070813 DOI: 10.3390/s20041051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We developed and tested an unmanned aerial vehicle-based gas sampling system (UGSS) for collecting gases and atmospheric particulate matter (PM). The system applies an alternative way of collecting both vertical and horizontal transects of trace gases in order to analyze them in the laboratory. To identify the best position of the UGSS intake port, aerodynamic flow simulations and experimental verifications of propeller airflow were conducted with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in hover mode. The UGSS will automatically replace the original gas in the system with gas from a target location to avoid the original gas being stored in the air bags. Experimental results show that the UGSS needs 5 s to replace the system’s own original gas using its pump. CO2 and PM2.5/10 above the corn field are used as the test species to validate the accuracy of the CO2 gas and PM concentrations collected by UGSS. Deming regression analyses showed good agreement between the measurements from the UGSS and the ground sampling station (y = 1.027x – 11.239, Pearson’s correlation coefficient of 0.98 for CO2; y = 0.992x + 0.704, Pearson’s correlation coefficient of 0.99 for PM).The UGSS provides a measuring method that actively collects gases and PM for manual analyses in the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoqun Li
- College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; (C.L.); (M.P.); (M.Z.); (X.Y.); (W.L.); (T.W.)
| | - Wenting Han
- College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; (C.L.); (M.P.); (M.Z.); (X.Y.); (W.L.); (T.W.)
- Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-029-8709-1325
| | - Manman Peng
- College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; (C.L.); (M.P.); (M.Z.); (X.Y.); (W.L.); (T.W.)
| | - Mengfei Zhang
- College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; (C.L.); (M.P.); (M.Z.); (X.Y.); (W.L.); (T.W.)
| | - Xiaomin Yao
- College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; (C.L.); (M.P.); (M.Z.); (X.Y.); (W.L.); (T.W.)
| | - Wenshuai Liu
- College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; (C.L.); (M.P.); (M.Z.); (X.Y.); (W.L.); (T.W.)
| | - Tonghua Wang
- College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; (C.L.); (M.P.); (M.Z.); (X.Y.); (W.L.); (T.W.)
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Poormohammadi A, Bahrami A, Ghiasvand A, Shahna FG, Farhadian M. Preparation of Carbotrap/silica composite for needle trap field sampling of halogenated volatile organic compounds followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry determination. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE & ENGINEERING 2019; 17:1045-1053. [PMID: 32030173 PMCID: PMC6985406 DOI: 10.1007/s40201-019-00418-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A needle trap device (NTD) was packed with Carbotrap/silica composite sorbent and applied for field sampling of halogenated volatile organic compounds (HVOCs) followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) separation and determination. METHODS Carbotrap B, as a highly pure surface sorbent, was prepared using sol-gel method to improve its surface properties for adsorption/desorption of the target analytes. The effects of important experimental variables on the sampling and determination of trichloroethylene (thrCE) and tetrachloroethylene (tetCE) using the proposed NTD-GC/MS strategy were evaluated and optimized. RESULTS The results showed that sampling temperature and relative humidity interfered with sampling efficiency of the developed method and peak area responses of the analytes decreased with increasing temperature and relative humidity. The peak areas of the analytes increased with raising desorption temperature from 180 to 250 °C, and increasing desorption time from 1 to 3 min. The carryover experiments showed that the carryover effect disappeared after 3 min of desorption time. The Limits of Detection (LODs) and Limits of Quantitation (LOQs) of the analytes were in the range 0.01-0.03 and 0.05-0.09, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The results indicated that the developed NTD-GC/MS procedure can be used as a technology with high sensitivity for the field sampling and determination of HVOCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Poormohammadi
- Center of Excellence for Occupational Health, Research Center for Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Abdulrahman Bahrami
- Center of Excellence for Occupational Health, Research Center for Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | | | - Farshid Ghorbani Shahna
- Centre of Excellence for Occupational Health, Occupational Health and Safety Research Center, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Maryam Farhadian
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Research Center for Health Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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Kuantama E, Tarca R, Dzitac S, Dzitac I, Vesselenyi T, Tarca I. The Design and Experimental Development of Air Scanning Using a Sniffer Quadcopter. SENSORS 2019; 19:s19183849. [PMID: 31489887 PMCID: PMC6766846 DOI: 10.3390/s19183849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 09/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This study presents a detailed analysis of an air monitoring development system using quadcopters. The data collecting method is based on gas dispersion investigation to pinpoint the gas source location and determine the gas concentration level. Due to its flexibility and low cost, a quadcopter was integrated with air monitoring sensors to collect the required data. The analysis started with the sensor placement on the quadcopter and their correlation with the generated vortex. The reliability and response time of the sensor used determine the duration of the data collection process. The dynamic nature of the environment makes the technique of air monitoring of topmost concern. The pattern method has been adapted to the data collection process in which area scanning was marked using a point of interest or grid point. The experiments were done by manipulating a carbon monoxide (CO) source, with data readings being made in two ways: point source with eight sampling points arranged in a square pattern, and non-point source with 24 sampling points in a grid pattern. The quadcopter collected data while in a hover state with 10 s sampling times at each point. The analysis of variance method (ANOVA) was also used as the statistical algorithm to analyze the vector of gas dispersion. In order to tackle the uncertainty of wind, a bivariate Gaussian kernel analysis was used to get an estimation of the gas source area. The result showed that the grid pattern measurement was useful in obtaining more accurate data of the gas source location and the gas concentration. The vortex field generated by the propeller was used to speed up the accumulation of the gas particles to the sensor. The dynamic nature of the wind caused the gas flow vector to change constantly. Thus, more sampling points were preferred, to improve the accuracy of the gas source location prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Endrowednes Kuantama
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Pelita Harapan University, Tangerang 15811, Indonesia.
| | - Radu Tarca
- Mechatronics Department, University of Oradea, 1 Universitatii St., Oradea 410087, Romania.
| | - Simona Dzitac
- Energy Engineering Department, University of Oradea, 1 Universitatii St., Oradea 410087, Romania.
| | - Ioan Dzitac
- Department of Mathematics, Computer Science, Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, St. Elena Dragoi, Arad 310330, Romania.
- R & D Center: "Cercetare Dezvoltare Agora", Agora University of Oradea, St. Piata Tineretului, Oradea 410087, Romania.
| | - Tiberiu Vesselenyi
- Mechatronics Department, University of Oradea, 1 Universitatii St., Oradea 410087, Romania.
| | - Ioan Tarca
- Mechanical Engineering and Automotive Department, University of Oradea, 1 Universitatii St., Oradea 410087, Romania.
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Jia X, Jin D, Li C, Lu W. Characterization and analysis of petrochemical wastewater through particle size distribution, biodegradability, and chemical composition. Chin J Chem Eng 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2018.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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8
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Maceira A, Vallecillos L, Borrull F, Marcé RM. New approach to resolve the humidity problem in VOC determination in outdoor air samples using solid adsorbent tubes followed by TD-GC-MS. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 599-600:1718-1727. [PMID: 28535600 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.05.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Revised: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
This study describes the humidity effect in the sampling process by adsorbent tubes followed by thermal desorption and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air samples and evaluates possible solutions to this problem. Two multi-sorbent bed tubes, Tenax TA/Carbograph 1TD and Carbotrap B/Carbopack X/Carboxen 569, were tested in order to evaluate their behaviour in the presence of environmental humidity. Humidity problems were demonstrated with carbon-based tubes, while Tenax-based tubes did not display any influence. Silica gel, a molecular sieve and CaCl2 were tried out as materials for drying tube to remove air humidity, placed prior to the sampling tube to prevent water from entering. The pre-tubes filled with 0.5g of CaCl2 showed the best results with respect to their blanks, the analytes recoveries and their ability to remove ambient humidity. To avoid the possible agglomeration of CaCl2 during the sampling process in high relative humidity atmospheres, 0.1g of diatomaceous earth were mixed with the desiccant agent. The applicability of the CaCl2 pre-tube as drying agent prior to Carbotrap B/Carbopack X/Carboxen 569 tubes was tested in urban and industrial locations with samplings of air at high relative humidity. In addition, the results were compared with those obtained using Tenax TA/Carbograph 1TD tubes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Maceira
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, Campus Sescelades, Faculty of Chemistry, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Marcel∙lí Domingo s/n, Tarragona 43007, Spain
| | - Laura Vallecillos
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, Campus Sescelades, Faculty of Chemistry, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Marcel∙lí Domingo s/n, Tarragona 43007, Spain; Centre Tecnològic de la Química, Marcel·lí Domingo, s/n, Tarragona 43007, Spain
| | - Francesc Borrull
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, Campus Sescelades, Faculty of Chemistry, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Marcel∙lí Domingo s/n, Tarragona 43007, Spain; Centre Tecnològic de la Química, Marcel·lí Domingo, s/n, Tarragona 43007, Spain
| | - Rosa Maria Marcé
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, Campus Sescelades, Faculty of Chemistry, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Marcel∙lí Domingo s/n, Tarragona 43007, Spain.
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Li Y, Xian Q, Li L. Development of a short path thermal desorption–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in indoor air. J Chromatogr A 2017; 1497:127-134. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2017.03.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Revised: 03/18/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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10
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Mehrizadeh H, Niaei A, Tseng HH, Salari D, Khataee A. Synthesis of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles for photocatalytic removal of toluene from gas phase in the annular reactor. J Photochem Photobiol A Chem 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2016.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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11
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Villa TF, Salimi F, Morton K, Morawska L, Gonzalez F. Development and Validation of a UAV Based System for Air Pollution Measurements. SENSORS 2016; 16:s16122202. [PMID: 28009820 PMCID: PMC5191180 DOI: 10.3390/s16122202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Air quality data collection near pollution sources is difficult, particularly when sites are complex, have physical barriers, or are themselves moving. Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) offer new approaches to air pollution and atmospheric studies. However, there are a number of critical design decisions which need to be made to enable representative data collection, in particular the location of the air sampler or air sensor intake. The aim of this research was to establish the best mounting point for four gas sensors and a Particle Number Concentration (PNC) monitor, onboard a hexacopter, so to develop a UAV system capable of measuring point source emissions. The research included two different tests: (1) evaluate the air flow behavior of a hexacopter, its downwash and upwash effect, by measuring air speed along three axes to determine the location where the sensors should be mounted; (2) evaluate the use of gas sensors for CO2, CO, NO2 and NO, and the PNC monitor (DISCmini) to assess the efficiency and performance of the UAV based system by measuring emissions from a diesel engine. The air speed behavior map produced by test 1 shows the best mounting point for the sensors to be alongside the UAV. This position is less affected by the propeller downwash effect. Test 2 results demonstrated that the UAV propellers cause a dispersion effect shown by the decrease of gas and PN concentration measured in real time. A Linear Regression model was used to estimate how the sensor position, relative to the UAV center, affects pollutant concentration measurements when the propellers are turned on. This research establishes guidelines on how to develop a UAV system to measure point source emissions. Such research should be undertaken before any UAV system is developed for real world data collection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Francesco Villa
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (ILAQH), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane QLD 4000, Australia.
| | - Farhad Salimi
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia.
| | - Kye Morton
- Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation (ARCAA), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane QLD 4000, Australia.
| | - Lidia Morawska
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (ILAQH), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane QLD 4000, Australia.
| | - Felipe Gonzalez
- Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation (ARCAA), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane QLD 4000, Australia.
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12
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Martins EM, Borba PFDS, Dos Santos NE, Dos Reis PTB, Silveira RS, Corrêa SM. The relationship between solvent use and BTEX concentrations in occupational environments. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2016; 188:608. [PMID: 27718089 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-016-5621-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 09/25/2016] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Indoor air quality is an increasing concern; it causes significant damage to health because it is recycled in confined environments for extended periods of time. Among the pollutants found in these environments, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) are known for their potential toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic effects. This study monitored the BTEX concentrations in paint, carpentry, and varnish workplaces and evaluated the potential to cause adverse health effects on workers in these environments. Twenty samples were collected in workplaces, 20 samples were collected outside the area, and eight samples were taken of the products used. Samples were collected using coconut shell cartridges, and chemical analyses were performed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Toluene presented higher indoor concentrations and indoor and outdoor ratios, indicating that the paint and varnish workplaces had significant BTEX sources. The highest benzene and toluene concentrations were obtained from the paint workshop, and higher concentrations of ethylbenzene and xylenes were obtained in the varnish workshop. The highest non-carcinogenic risks were obtained for m + p-xylenes in the varnish work place, and the second highest non-carcinogenic risk was also determined for the same workshop.
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13
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Villa TF, Gonzalez F, Miljievic B, Ristovski ZD, Morawska L. An Overview of Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Air Quality Measurements: Present Applications and Future Prospectives. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2016; 16:E1072. [PMID: 27420065 PMCID: PMC4969839 DOI: 10.3390/s16071072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 212] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Revised: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Assessment of air quality has been traditionally conducted by ground based monitoring, and more recently by manned aircrafts and satellites. However, performing fast, comprehensive data collection near pollution sources is not always feasible due to the complexity of sites, moving sources or physical barriers. Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) equipped with different sensors have been introduced for in-situ air quality monitoring, as they can offer new approaches and research opportunities in air pollution and emission monitoring, as well as for studying atmospheric trends, such as climate change, while ensuring urban and industrial air safety. The aims of this review were to: (1) compile information on the use of UAVs for air quality studies; and (2) assess their benefits and range of applications. An extensive literature review was conducted using three bibliographic databases (Scopus, Web of Knowledge, Google Scholar) and a total of 60 papers was found. This relatively small number of papers implies that the field is still in its early stages of development. We concluded that, while the potential of UAVs for air quality research has been established, several challenges still need to be addressed, including: the flight endurance, payload capacity, sensor dimensions/accuracy, and sensitivity. However, the challenges are not simply technological, in fact, policy and regulations, which differ between countries, represent the greatest challenge to facilitating the wider use of UAVs in atmospheric research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Francesco Villa
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (ILAQH), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane QLD 4000, Australia.
| | - Felipe Gonzalez
- Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation (ARCAA), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane QLD 4000, Australia.
| | - Branka Miljievic
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (ILAQH), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane QLD 4000, Australia.
| | - Zoran D Ristovski
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (ILAQH), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane QLD 4000, Australia.
| | - Lidia Morawska
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (ILAQH), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George St, Brisbane QLD 4000, Australia.
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Porada E, Szyszkowicz M. UNMIX Methods Applied to Characterize Sources of Volatile Organic Compounds in Toronto, Ontario. TOXICS 2016; 4:E11. [PMID: 29051416 PMCID: PMC5606629 DOI: 10.3390/toxics4020011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Revised: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
UNMIX, a sensor modeling routine from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was used to model volatile organic compound (VOC) receptors in four urban sites in Toronto, Ontario. VOC ambient concentration data acquired in 2000-2009 for 175 VOC species in four air quality monitoring stations were analyzed. UNMIX, by performing multiple modeling attempts upon varying VOC menus-while rejecting the results that were not reliable-allowed for discriminating sources by their most consistent chemical characteristics. The method assessed occurrences of VOCs in sources typical of the urban environment (traffic, evaporative emissions of fuels, banks of fugitive inert gases), industrial point sources (plastic-, polymer-, and metalworking manufactures), and in secondary sources (releases from water, sediments, and contaminated urban soil). The remote sensing and robust modeling used here produces chemical profiles of putative VOC sources that, if combined with known environmental fates of VOCs, can be used to assign physical sources' shares of VOCs emissions into the atmosphere. This in turn provides a means of assessing the impact of environmental policies on one hand, and industrial activities on the other hand, on VOC air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugeniusz Porada
- Department of Computer Science, University of Québec at Outaouais, Gatineau, QB J8X 3X7, Canada.
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15
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Vilavert L, Figueras MJ, Schuhmacher M, Nadal M, Domingo JL. Formaldehyde: a chemical of concern in the vicinity of MBT plants of municipal solid waste. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2014; 133:27-35. [PMID: 24906065 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.04.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2014] [Revised: 04/11/2014] [Accepted: 04/24/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) of municipal solid waste (MSW) has a number of advantages in comparison to other MSW management possibilities. However, adverse health effects related to this practice are not well known yet, as a varied typology of microbiological and chemical agents may be generated and released. In 2010, we initiated an environmental monitoring program to control air levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and microbiological pollutants near an MBT plant in Montcada i Reixac (Catalonia, Spain). In order to assess any temporal and seasonal trends, four 6-monthly campaigns were performed. Important fluctuations were observed in the levels of different biological indicators (total and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi grown at 25 °C and 37 °C, and more specifically, Aspergillus fumigatus). Although overall bioaerosols concentrations were rather low, a certain increase in the mean values of bacteria and fungi was observed in summer. In contrast, higher concentrations of VOCs were found in winter, with the only exception of formaldehyde. Interestingly, although this compound was not detected in one of the sampling campaigns, current airborne levels of formaldehyde were higher than those previously reported in urban areas across Europe. Furthermore, the non-carcinogenic risks (Hazard Quotient), particularly in winter, as well as the cancer risks associated with the inhalation of VOCs, exceeded the threshold values (1 and 10(-5), respectively), reaffirming the need of continuing with the monitoring program, with special emphasis on formaldehyde, a carcinogenic/mutagenic substance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lolita Vilavert
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain
| | - María J Figueras
- Microbiology Unit, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Marta Schuhmacher
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain; Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Departament d'Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Martí Nadal
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - José L Domingo
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain
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16
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Santiago Sánchez N, Tejada Alarcón S, Tortajada Santonja R, Llorca-Pórcel J. New device for time-averaged measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 485-486:720-725. [PMID: 24388502 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2013] [Revised: 12/05/2013] [Accepted: 12/05/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Contamination by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the environment is an increasing concern since these compounds are harmful to ecosystems and even to human health. Actually, many of them are considered toxic and/or carcinogenic. The main sources of pollution come from very diffuse focal points such as industrial discharges, urban water and accidental spills as these compounds may be present in many products and processes (i.e., paints, fuels, petroleum products, raw materials, solvents, etc.) making their control difficult. The presence of these compounds in groundwater, influenced by discharges, leachate or effluents of WWTPs is especially problematic. In recent years, law has been increasingly restrictive with the emissions of these compounds. From an environmental point of view, the European Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) sets out some VOCs as priority substances. This binding directive sets guidelines to control compounds such as benzene, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride to be at a very low level of concentration and with a very high frequency of analysis. The presence of VOCs in the various effluents is often highly variable and discontinuous since it depends on the variability of the sources of contamination. Therefore, in order to have complete information of the presence of these contaminants and to effectively take preventive measures, it is important to continuously control, requiring the development of new devices which obtain average concentrations over time. As of today, due to technical limitations, there are no devices on the market that allow continuous sampling of these compounds in an efficient way and to facilitate sufficient detection limits to meet the legal requirements which are capable of detecting very sporadic and of short duration discharges. LABAQUA has developed a device which consists of a small peristaltic pump controlled by an electronic board that governs its operation by pre-programming. A constant flow passes through a glass cell containing adsorbent material where the VOCs are retained. The adsorbent used, made in LABAQUA, is a mixture of alginic acid and activated carbon. Due to its high permeability it allows the passage and retention of THMs in a suitable way, thus solving many of the problems of other common adsorbents. Also, to avoid degradation of the adsorbent, it is wrapped in a low density polyethylene (LDPE) membrane. After a sampling period of between 1 and 14 days, the adsorbent is collected and analyzed in the laboratory to quantify the VOC average concentration. This device resolves some of the limitations of the classical sampling system (spot samples), since we will take into account the fluctuations in the concentration of VOCs by averaging the same over time. This study presents the results obtained by the device for quantifying the VOCs legislated in the Directive 2000/60/EC. We present the validation of linearity over time and the limits of quantification, as well as the results of sample rate (Rs) obtained for each compound. The results demonstrate the high robustness and high sensitivity of the device. In addition the system has been validated in real waste water samples, comparing the results obtained with this device with the values of classical spot sampling, obtaining excellent results.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sergio Tejada Alarcón
- AQUALOGY-LABAQUA S.A., C/Dracma 16-18, Pol. Ind. Las Atalayas, 03114 Alicante, Spain
| | | | - Julio Llorca-Pórcel
- AQUALOGY-LABAQUA S.A., C/Dracma 16-18, Pol. Ind. Las Atalayas, 03114 Alicante, Spain.
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Gholami M, Nassehinia HR, Jonidi-Jafari A, Nasseri S, Esrafili A. Comparison of Benzene & Toluene removal from synthetic polluted air with use of Nano photocatalyticTiO2/ ZNO process. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE & ENGINEERING 2014; 12:45. [PMID: 24499601 PMCID: PMC3922341 DOI: 10.1186/2052-336x-12-45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2013] [Accepted: 01/26/2014] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mono aromatic hydrocarbons (BTEX) are a group of hazardous pollutants which originate from sources such as refineries, gas, and oil extraction fields, petrochemicals and paint and glue industries.Conventional methods, including incineration, condensation, adsorption and absorption have been used for removal of VOCs. None of these methods is economical for removal of pollutants of polluted air with low to moderate concentrations. The heterogeneous photocatalytic processes involve the chemical reactions to convert pollutant to carbon dioxide and water. The aim of this paper is a comparison of Benzene & Toluene removal from synthetic polluted air using a Nano photocatalytic TiO2/ ZNO process. RESULTS The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed that Nano crystals of TiO2 and ZNO were in anatase and rutile phases. Toluene & benzene were decomposed by TiO2/ ZNO Nano photocatalyst and UV radiation. Kruskal-wallis Test demonstrated that there are significant differences (pvalue < 0.05) between pollutant concentrations in different operational conditions. CONCLUSIONS Degradation of toluene & benzene increases with increasing UV intensity and decreasing initial concentrations. Effect of TiO2/ZNO Nano photocatalyst on benzene is less than that on toluene. In this research, Toluene & benzene removal by TiO2/ZNO and UV followed first-order reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitra Gholami
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Center for Water Quality Research (CWQR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Reza Nassehinia
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ahmad Jonidi-Jafari
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Simin Nasseri
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health and Center for Water Quality Research (CWQR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Esrafili
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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18
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Aragón M, Borrull F, Marcé R. Thermal desorption-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method to determine phthalate and organophosphate esters from air samples. J Chromatogr A 2013; 1303:76-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2013.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2012] [Revised: 04/18/2013] [Accepted: 06/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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19
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Godayol A, Marcé RM, Borrull F, Anticó E, Sanchez JM. Development of a method for the monitoring of odor-causing compounds in atmospheres surrounding wastewater treatment plants. J Sep Sci 2013; 36:1621-8. [DOI: 10.1002/jssc.201300046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2013] [Revised: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 03/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Godayol
- Department of Chemistry; Universitat de Girona; Campus Montilivi; Girona Spain
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry; Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Campus Sescelades; Tarragona Spain
| | - Rosa M. Marcé
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry; Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Campus Sescelades; Tarragona Spain
| | - Francesc Borrull
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry; Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Campus Sescelades; Tarragona Spain
| | - Enriqueta Anticó
- Department of Chemistry; Universitat de Girona; Campus Montilivi; Girona Spain
| | - Juan M. Sanchez
- Department of Chemistry; Universitat de Girona; Campus Montilivi; Girona Spain
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20
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Wilson RB, Hoggard JC, Synovec RE. High throughput analysis of atmospheric volatile organic compounds by thermal injection – isothermal gas chromatography – time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Talanta 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2012.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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21
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Vilavert L, Nadal M, Figueras MJ, Domingo JL. Volatile organic compounds and bioaerosols in the vicinity of a municipal waste organic fraction treatment plant. Human health risks. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2012; 19:96-104. [PMID: 21688069 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-011-0547-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2011] [Accepted: 06/08/2011] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this study was to analyze air concentrations of chemical and microbiological pollutants in the vicinity of an organic waste treatment plant, Ecoparc-2, located in Montcada i Reixac (Catalonia, Spain), as well as to determine the seasonal trends. The human health risks due to the presence of those agents were also assessed. METHODS Air samples were collected at different distances and wind directions from the Ecoparc-2 in two campaigns (winter and summer of 2010). The levels of 19 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were analyzed by GC-MS or HPLC-UV. In turn, the airborne amount of total bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, and fungi (including Aspergillus fumigatus) was also determined. RESULTS Mean VOC concentrations were found to be 32.4 and 15.7 μg/m(3) in winter and summer, respectively. Fungi at 25°C presented the highest geometric mean (1,126 and 863 cfu/m(3) in winter and summer, respectively), while the concentrations of fungi at 37°C and total bacteria were also important in the hot season (332 and 250 cfu/m(3), respectively). These results are in agreement with data obtained from the scientific literature. Anyhow, no significant differences were observed between both campaigns including those related to distances and wind directions. The current pollutant levels in the surrounding environment were also various orders of magnitude lower than those recently observed inside the facility. CONCLUSIONS The human exposure to VOCs near the Ecoparc-2 was estimated to be low. Furthermore, the current environmental concentrations of those chemical and microbiological agents were clearly below threshold values recommended by regulatory organizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lolita Vilavert
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Catalonia, Spain
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de Blas M, Navazo M, Alonso L, Durana N, Iza J. Automatic on-line monitoring of atmospheric volatile organic compounds: gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-flame ionization detection as complementary systems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2011; 409:5459-5469. [PMID: 21978614 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.08.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2011] [Revised: 08/31/2011] [Accepted: 08/31/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Traditionally air quality networks have been carrying out the continuous, on-line measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in ambient air with GC-FID. In this paper some identification and coelution problems observed while using this technique in long-term measurement campaigns are described. In order to solve these problems a GC-MS was set up and operated simultaneously with a GC-FID for C2-C11 VOCs measurement. There are few on-line, unattended, long term measurements of atmospheric VOCs performed with GC-MS. In this work such a system has been optimized for that purpose, achieving good repeatability, linearity, and detection limits of the order of the GC-FID ones, even smaller in some cases. VOC quantification has been made by using response factors, which is not frequent in on-line GC-MS. That way, the identification and coelution problems detected in the GC-FID, which may led to reporting erroneous data, could be corrected. The combination of GC-FID and GC-MS as complementary techniques for the measurement of speciated VOCs in ambient air at sub-ppbv levels is proposed. Some results of the measurements are presented, including concentration values for some compounds not found until now on public ambient air VOC databases, which were identified and quantified combining both techniques. Results may also help to correct previously published VOC data with wrongly identified compounds by reprocessing raw chromatographic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maite de Blas
- Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department, University College of Technical Mining and Civil Engineering, University of the Basque Country, Colina de Beurco s/n, 48902 Barakaldo, Spain.
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Vilavert L, Nadal M, Figueras MJ, Kumar V, Domingo JL. Levels of chemical and microbiological pollutants in the vicinity of a waste incineration plant and human health risks: temporal trends. CHEMOSPHERE 2011; 84:1476-1483. [PMID: 21550630 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.04.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2010] [Revised: 04/04/2011] [Accepted: 04/12/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
In 2007, a program was initiated to monitor air levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and bioaerosols in the vicinity of a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) (Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain). To investigate the temporal trends of chemical and microbiological pollutants, four 6-monthly campaigns were performed. Air samples were collected at different distances and directions from the facility, as well as in reference sites. In general terms, the concentrations of microbiological agents were very similar to those found in urban zones worldwide. The seasonal evaluation of the results showed higher levels of gram-negative bacteria in winter, contrasting with the increase of the airborne amount of total bacteria in summer. On the other hand, the concentrations of VOCs (mean range: 7.6-18.2 μg m(-3)) were typical of suburban zones. The current exposure to those compounds should not mean additional health risks for the population living nearby.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lolita Vilavert
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain
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Täffner T, Schlegelmilch M, Kleeberg K, Schindler S, Genske D, Krings U, Stegmann R, Berger R, Niemeyer B. Vergleich analytischer und sensorischer Methoden zur Beurteilung der Geruchsminderungsleistung eines Festbettadsorbers. CHEM-ING-TECH 2011. [DOI: 10.1002/cite.201000173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Peng H, Wang J, Shen Z, Wu D, Guan Y. A cryogen-free refrigerating preconcentration device for the measurement of C2 to C4 hydrocarbons in ambient air. Analyst 2011; 136:586-90. [DOI: 10.1039/c0an00563k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Fahrenholtz S, Hühnerfuss H, Baur X, Budnik LT. Determination of phosphine and other fumigants in air samples by thermal desorption and 2D heart-cutting gas chromatography with synchronous SIM/Scan mass spectrometry and flame photometric detection. J Chromatogr A 2010; 1217:8298-307. [PMID: 21084090 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2010.10.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2010] [Revised: 09/27/2010] [Accepted: 10/25/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Fumigants and volatile industrial chemicals are particularly hazardous to health when a freight container is fumigated or the contaminated material is introduced into its enclosed environment. Phosphine is now increasingly used as a fumigant, after bromomethane--the former fumigant of choice--has been banned by the Montreal Protocol. We have enhanced our previously established thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) method by integrating a second gas chromatographic dimension and a flame photometric detector to allow the simultaneous detection of phosphine and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), providing a novel application. A thermal desorption system is coupled to a two dimensional gas chromatograph using both mass spectrometric and flame photometric detection (TD-2D-GC-MS/FPD). Additionally, the collection of mass spectrometric SIM and Scan data has been synchronised, so only a single analysis is now sufficient for qualitative scanning of the whole sample and for sensitive quantification. Though detection limits for the herewith described method are slightly higher than in the previous method, they are in the low μL m(-3) range, which is not only below the respective occupational exposure and intervention limits but also allows the detection of residual contamination after ventilation. The method was developed for the separation and identification of 44 volatile substances. For 12 of these compounds (bromomethane, iodomethane, dichloromethane, 1,2-dichlorethane, benzene, tetrachloromethane, 1,2-dichloropropane, toluene, trichloronitromethane, ethyl benzene, phosphine, carbon disulfide) the method was validated as we chose the target compounds due to their relevance in freight container handling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svea Fahrenholtz
- Institute for Occupational Medicine and Maritime Medicine, Division of Occupational Toxicology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Hamburg, Marckmannstraße 129b, 20539 Hamburg, Germany.
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