DEVELOPMENT OF MEMBRANE PURGE-AND-TRAP FOR MEASUREMENT OF VOLATILE ORGANICS IN WATER

Volatile organics in water are analyzed by first removing them from th e water matrix. For example in purge and trap, the organics are sparge d using an inert gas before analysis by GC or GC/MS. The objective of this research is to develop an equivalent of a purge and trap system b ased on membrane extraction. Instead of purging the VOCs are separated from the aqueous phase via membrane permeation. The permeated organic s are pneumatically transported to a micro-sorbent trap referred to as the microtrap. The trapped organics are then injected into a GC by ra pid desorption of the microtrap.