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Fung S, Contreras RP, Fung AG, Gibson P, LeVasseur MK, McCartney MM, Koch DT, Chakraborty P, Chew BS, Rajapakse MY, Chevy DA, Hicks TL, Davis CE. Portable chemical detection platform for on-site monitoring of odorant levels in natural gas. J Chromatogr A 2023; 1705:464151. [PMID: 37419015 PMCID: PMC11014743 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
The adequate odorization of natural gas is critical to identify gas leaks and to reduce accidents. To ensure odorization, natural gas utility companies collect samples to be processed at core facilities or a trained human technician smells a diluted natural gas sample. In this work, we report a detection platform that addresses the lack of mobile solutions capable of providing quantitative analysis of mercaptans, a class of compounds used to odorize natural gas. Detailed description of the platform hardware and software components is provided. Designed to be portable, the platform hardware facilitates extraction of mercaptans from natural gas, separation of individual mercaptan species, and quantification of odorant concentration, with results reported at point-of-sampling. The software was developed to accommodate skilled users as well as minimally trained operators. Detection and quantification of six commonly used mercaptan compounds (ethyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide, n-propylmercaptan, isopropyl mercaptan, tert‑butyl mercaptan, and tetrahydrothiophene) at typical odorizing concentrations of 0.1-5 ppm was performed using the device. We demonstrate the potential of this technology to ensure natural gas odorizing concentrations throughout distribution systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Fung
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; UC Davis Lung Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Raquel Pimentel Contreras
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; UC Davis Lung Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Alexander G Fung
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; UC Davis Lung Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Patrick Gibson
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; UC Davis Lung Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Michael K LeVasseur
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; UC Davis Lung Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Mitchell M McCartney
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; UC Davis Lung Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.; VA Northern California Health Care System, 10535 Hospital Way, Mather, CA 95655, USA
| | - Dylan T Koch
- UC Davis Lung Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.; Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Pranay Chakraborty
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; UC Davis Lung Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Bradley S Chew
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; UC Davis Lung Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Maneeshin Y Rajapakse
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; UC Davis Lung Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Daniel A Chevy
- UC Davis Lung Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.; Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Tristan L Hicks
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; UC Davis Lung Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Cristina E Davis
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; UC Davis Lung Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.; VA Northern California Health Care System, 10535 Hospital Way, Mather, CA 95655, USA.
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Silva G, Tomlinson J, Onkokesung N, Sommer S, Mrisho L, Legg J, Adams IP, Gutierrez-Vazquez Y, Howard TP, Laverick A, Hossain O, Wei Q, Gold KM, Boonham N. Plant pest surveillance: from satellites to molecules. Emerg Top Life Sci 2021; 5:275-287. [PMID: 33720345 PMCID: PMC8166340 DOI: 10.1042/etls20200300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Plant pests and diseases impact both food security and natural ecosystems, and the impact has been accelerated in recent years due to several confounding factors. The globalisation of trade has moved pests out of natural ranges, creating damaging epidemics in new regions. Climate change has extended the range of pests and the pathogens they vector. Resistance to agrochemicals has made pathogens, pests, and weeds more difficult to control. Early detection is critical to achieve effective control, both from a biosecurity as well as an endemic pest perspective. Molecular diagnostics has revolutionised our ability to identify pests and diseases over the past two decades, but more recent technological innovations are enabling us to achieve better pest surveillance. In this review, we will explore the different technologies that are enabling this advancing capability and discuss the drivers that will shape its future deployment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo Silva
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, U.K
| | - Jenny Tomlinson
- Fera Science Ltd., York Biotech Campus, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, U.K
| | - Nawaporn Onkokesung
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Agriculture Building, Newcastle University, King's Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K
| | - Sarah Sommer
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Agriculture Building, Newcastle University, King's Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K
| | - Latifa Mrisho
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dar el Salaam, Tanzania
| | - James Legg
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dar el Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Ian P Adams
- Fera Science Ltd., York Biotech Campus, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, U.K
| | | | - Thomas P Howard
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Agriculture Building, Newcastle University, King's Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K
| | - Alex Laverick
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Agriculture Building, Newcastle University, King's Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K
| | - Oindrila Hossain
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, U.S.A
| | - Qingshan Wei
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, U.S.A
| | - Kaitlin M Gold
- Plant Pathology and Plant Microbe Biology Section, Cornell University, 15 Castle Creek Drive, Geneva, NY 14456, U.S.A
| | - Neil Boonham
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Agriculture Building, Newcastle University, King's Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K
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Tholl D, Hossain O, Weinhold A, Röse USR, Wei Q. Trends and applications in plant volatile sampling and analysis. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 106:314-325. [PMID: 33506558 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by plants serve as information and defense chemicals in mutualistic and antagonistic interactions and mitigate effects of abiotic stress. Passive and dynamic sampling techniques combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis have become routine tools to measure emissions of VOCs and determine their various functions. More recently, knowledge of the roles of plant VOCs in the aboveground environment has led to the exploration of similar functions in the soil and rhizosphere. Moreover, VOC patterns have been recognized as sensitive and time-dependent markers of biotic and abiotic stress. This focused review addresses these developments by presenting recent progress in VOC sampling and analysis. We show advances in the use of small, inexpensive sampling devices and describe methods to monitor plant VOC emissions in the belowground environment. We further address latest trends in real-time measurements of volatilomes in plant phenotyping and most recent developments of small portable devices and VOC sensors for non-invasive VOC fingerprinting of plant disease. These technologies allow for innovative approaches to study plant VOC biology and application in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea Tholl
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Oindrila Hossain
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
- Emerging Plant Disease and Global Food Security Cluster, Norther Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Alexander Weinhold
- Molecular Interaction Ecology, Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, 07745, Germany
- Molecular Interaction Ecology, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Ursula S R Röse
- School of Biological Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, 04005, USA
| | - Qingshan Wei
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
- Emerging Plant Disease and Global Food Security Cluster, Norther Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
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Davis JJ, Foster SW, Grinias JP. Low-cost and open-source strategies for chemical separations. J Chromatogr A 2021; 1638:461820. [PMID: 33453654 PMCID: PMC7870555 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2020.461820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, a trend toward utilizing open access resources for laboratory research has begun. Open-source design strategies for scientific hardware rely upon the use of widely available parts, especially those that can be directly printed using additive manufacturing techniques and electronic components that can be connected to low-cost microcontrollers. Open-source software eliminates the need for expensive commercial licenses and provides the opportunity to design programs for specific needs. In this review, the impact of the "open-source movement" within the field of chemical separations is described, primarily through a comprehensive look at research in this area over the past five years. Topics that are covered include general laboratory equipment, sample preparation techniques, separations-based analysis, detection strategies, electronic system control, and software for data processing. Remaining hurdles and possible opportunities for further adoption of open-source approaches in the context of these separations-related topics are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J Davis
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States
| | - Samuel W Foster
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States
| | - James P Grinias
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States.
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Yeap D, McCartney MM, Rajapakse MY, Fung AG, Kenyon NJ, Davis CE. Peak detection and random forests classification software for gas chromatography/differential mobility spectrometry (GC/DMS) data. CHEMOMETRICS AND INTELLIGENT LABORATORY SYSTEMS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL SPONSORED BY THE CHEMOMETRICS SOCIETY 2020; 203:104085. [PMID: 32801407 PMCID: PMC7428162 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemolab.2020.104085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Gas Chromatography/Differential Mobility Spectrometry (GC/DMS) is an effective tool to discern volatile chemicals. The process of correlating GC/DMS data outputs to chemical identities requires time and effort from trained chemists due to lack of commercially available software and the lack of appropriate libraries. This paper describes the coupling of computer vision techniques to develop models for peak detection and can align chemical signatures across datasets. The result is an automatically generated peak table that provides integrated peak areas for the inputted samples. The software was tested against a simulated dataset, whereby the number of detected features highly correlated to the number of actual features (r2 = 0.95). This software has also been developed to include random forests, a discriminant analysis technique that generates prediction models for application to unknown samples with different chemical signatures. In an example dataset described herein, the model achieves 3% classification error with 12 trees and 0% classification error with 48 trees. The number of trees can be optimized based on the computational resources available. We expect the public release of this software can provide other GC/DMS researchers with a tool for automated featured extraction and discriminant analysis capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny Yeap
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Mitchell M. McCartney
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Maneeshin Y. Rajapakse
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Alexander G. Fung
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Nicholas J. Kenyon
- Department of Internal Medicine, 4150 V Street, Suite 3400, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
- Center for Comparative Respiratory Biology and Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- VA Northern California Health Care System, 10535 Hospital Way, Mather, CA, 95655, USA
| | - Cristina E. Davis
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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