A Cost-Effective Analytical Technology for Identification and Measurement of Greenhouse Gases

This project will develop a portable gas analyzer that is capable of identifying and measuring the concentrations of CO2, CO and other trace greenhouse gas constituents. The analyzer will combine a micro-gas chromatograph (GC) with a plasma detector based on Penning Ionization Electron Spectroscopy (PIES), and will provide sample identification that is independent of the GC retention time. In Phase I: (1) PIES spectra for a list of environmentally significant gases will be measured in the range of concentrations required for the environmental analysis; (2) sensitivity limits for CO, CO2, and N2O will be improved to ppb (parts per billion) range by making use of a preconcentrator; (3) PIES spectra for methane and CCl4 will be obtained, and the sensitivity for measuring chlorinated fluorocarbons (CFC¿s) will be tested; and (4) environmental trace constituents in air samples, collected in residential and industrial areas, will be measured. Phase II will result in the development of a cost-effective, portable autonomous platform for environmental gas analysis. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: The analyzer should be an attractive analytical device for a large variety of commercial applications such as hazardous species detection, industrial process analysis, and breath control. The device also promises to be of interest to homeland security, oil and refining, and the chemical and petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage industries. The ruggedness and low energy and material consumption of the analyzer would permit efficient in situ environmental monitoring of air in workplaces, airports, hospitals, or schools.