ANALYSIS OF TRACE OXYGENATED HYDROCARBONS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

A technique has been developed which can measure low-molecular-weight (C2-C5) oxygenated hydrocarbons down to concentrations of less than 10 parts per trillion (10-12) in the atmosphere. The method uses cryogenic trapping of trace gases from the air, and two-dimensional gas chromatography (2DGC) with flame ionization and photo-ionization detectors to analyze the samples. The method has been used to make extensive measurements in the field, and it is capable of measuring all of the C2-C5 carbonyl compounds in clean tropospheric air. The 2DGC analytical system also makes it possible to prepare accurate, reproducible standards of the low-molecular-weight oxygenated hydrocarbons at trace levels. © 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers.