Ac. Lewis et al., PROGRAMMED-TEMPERATURE VAPORIZATION INJECTION (PTV) FOR IN-SITU FIELD-MEASUREMENTS OF ISOPRENE, AND SELECTED OXIDATION-PRODUCTS IN A EUCALYPTUS FOREST, Atmospheric environment, 29(15), 1995, pp. 1871-1875
A technique has been developed to allow for rapid in situ field measur
ements of isoprene, methacrolein (MACR), methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) and
selected monoterpenes using programmed temperature vaporization injec
tion (PTV). As an example of the technique's effectiveness, the result
s of a series of ambient air samples taken in a Portuguese eucalyptus
forest are presented. Samples were collected on to a sorbent trap, and
analysis was performed on site using a programmed temperature vaporis
ation injector (PTV) to produce a rapid desorption of analytes from so
rbent trap on to a wide bore gas chromatography (GC) column. Using thi
s method no intermediate cryofocusing step is required, eliminating th
e need for cryogenic coolants. The high flow rate of helium over the s
orbent trap during the GC analysis rapidly reconditions the trap which
is ready to be reused at the end of the analytical programme. Using a
single sorbent trap ambient biogenic compound concentrations from the
forest canopy were monitored every 70 min, over a 5 d period.