Academic literature on the topic 'Multibed adsorbent tubes - thermal desorption - GC-MS'

The combustion of biomass is a process that is increasingly used for the generation of heat and energy through different types of wood and agricultural waste. The emissions generated by the combustion of biomass include different kinds of macro- and micropollutants whose formation and concentration varies according to the physical and chemical characteristics of the biomass, the combustion conditions, the plants, and the operational parameters of the process. The aim of this work is to evaluate the effect of biomass moisture content on the formation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the combustion process. Wet and dry poplar chips, with a moisture content of 43.30% and 15.00%, respectively, were used in a cogeneration plant based on a mobile grate furnace. Stack’s emissions were sampled through adsorbent tubes and subsequently analyzed by thermal desorption coupled with the GC/MS. The data obtained showed that, depending on the moisture content of the starting matrix, which inevitably influences the quality of combustion, there is significant variation in the production of VOCs.

Abstract. Gas/particle partitioning behaviour of secondary organic matter semi-volatile fraction and the associated multiphase chemistry are key features to accurately evaluate secondary organic aerosol climate and health impacts. However, today, oxygenated secondary species partitioning is rarely assessed in experimental SOA studies and SOA modelling is still largely based on estimated partitioning data. This paper describes a new analytical approach, solvent free and easy to use, to explore the chemical composition of the secondary organic matter at a molecular scale in both gas and particulate phases. The method is based on thermal-desorption (TD) of gas and particulate samples, coupled with gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS), with on sampling supports derivatisation processes. Gaseous compounds are trapped on PFBHA or MTBSTFA pre-coated Tenax TA adsorbent tubes. Particulate samples are collected onto quartz or Teflon-quartz filters and subsequently exposed to PFBHA or MTBSTFA derivatisation reagents before TD-GC-MS analysis. Method development and validation are presented from an atmospherically relevant range of organic acids and carbonyl and hydroxyl compounds. Method application to a limonene ozonolysis experiment conducted in the EUPHORE simulation chamber under close-to-real conditions of low concentrations and relative humidity provides an overview of the method abilities. 25 compounds have been positively or tentatively identified, 9 being in both gaseous and particulate phases and 11, among them tri carboxylic acids, hydroxyl dicarboxylic acids and oxodicarboxylic acids, being detected for the first time.

Abstract. The gas/particle partitioning behaviour of the semi-volatile fraction of secondary organic matter and the associated multiphase chemistry are key features to accurately evaluate climate and health impacts of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). However, today, the partitioning of oxygenated secondary species is rarely assessed in experimental SOA studies and SOA modelling is still largely based on estimated partitioning data. This paper describes a new analytical approach, solvent-free and easy to use, to explore the chemical composition of the secondary organic matter at a molecular scale in both gas and particulate phases. The method is based on thermal desorption (TD) of gas and particulate samples, coupled with gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS), with derivatisation on sampling supports. Gaseous compounds were trapped on Tenax TA adsorbent tubes pre-coated with pentafluorobenzylhydroxylamine (PFBHA) or N-Methyl-N-(t-butyldimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA). Particulate samples were collected onto quartz or Teflon-quartz filters and subsequently subjected to derivatisation with PFBHA or MTBSTFA before TD-GC/MS analysis. Method development and validation are presented for an atmospherically relevant range of organic acids and carbonyl and hydroxyl compounds. Application of the method to a limonene ozonolysis experiment conducted in the EUPHORE simulation chamber under simulated atmospheric conditions of low concentrations of limonene precursor and relative humidity, provides an overview of the method capabilities. Twenty-five compounds were positively or tentatively identified, nine being in both gaseous and particulate phases; and twelve, among them tricarboxylic acids, hydroxyl dicarboxylic acids and oxodicarboxylic acids, being detected for the first time.

Afin d’accroître les connaissances sur les composés traces présents dans les biogaz et biométhane et de garantir l’intégration durable de ces gaz dans le mix énergétique européen, une chaîne analytique complète a été développée dont un élément central est un dispositif d’échantillonnage de terrain permettant la préconcentration directe in situ des composés traces en prélevant ces gaz à leur pression actuelle (≤ 200 bara). Les composés traces ciblés dans ce travail incluent : alcanes (linéaires, cycliques, polycycliques), aromatiques, terpènes, alcènes, espèces organiques halogénées, espèces organiques oxygénées (alcools, aldéhydes, esters, éthers, cétones), siloxanes, composés soufrés organiques et inorganiques.L’état de l’art des techniques de prélèvement de gaz et de préconcentration pour la détermination de composés traces dans des matrices gazeuses a premièrement été réalisé. Sur base de cette étude, il fut choisi d’effectuer la préconcentration sur des tubes d’adsorbants multi-lits (TAM) assemblés manuellement. Le système de préconcentration fut élaboré et optimisé au laboratoire en sélectionnant des adsorbants commerciaux; les procédures d’assemblage et de conditionnement des nouveaux TAM furent établies; l’efficacité de quatre configurations de TAM à adsorber et libérer des composés traces ciblés fut testée en utilisant des mélanges de gaz synthétiques certifiés contenant des composés à l’état de traces (1 ppmmol) dans une matrice N2 ou CH4. Les analytes préconcentrés sur les TAM sont récupérés par désorption thermique (DT) des tubes au moyen d’un nouveau prototype de DT pour être analysés par chromatographie en phase gazeuse (CG) couplée à la spectrométrie de masse (SM).Deuxièmement, la méthode analytique et le prototype de DT ont été validés. Il fut démontré que le pouvoir résolutif du prototype de DT était plus élevé que celui obtenu par d’autres techniques de préconcentration ou d’autres méthodes d’injection en CG, telles que la microextraction en phase solide ou l’injection directe de gaz. Par ailleurs, les paramètres de CG-SM furent optimisés pour détecter le large spectre de composés traces potentiellement présents dans le biogaz et biométhane.Troisièmement, un prototype haute-pression innovant fut évalué, permettant le prélèvement de gaz pressurisés (≤ 200 bara) à travers les TAM pour la préconcentration directe et sous haute-pression des composés traces présents dans ces gaz. Ce prototype fut validé au laboratoire au moyen de mélanges de gaz synthétiques pressurisés avant d’être utilisé sur le terrain pour prélever du biométhane à 40 bara au niveau d’un poste d’injection dans le réseau de gaz naturel.Ensuite, la chaîne d’échantillonnage fut assemblée pour mener 6 campagnes de prélèvement durant lesquelles 6 flux différents de biogaz et biométhane furent prélevés sur une installation de stockage de déchets non dangereux et deux sites de méthanisation valorisant divers intrants. Les composés traces de ces gaz furent qualitativement déterminés via la méthode de DT-CG-SM élaborée. En un unique prélèvement et utilisant des volumes de gaz réduits (0.5 – 2 LN), un large spectre de composés traces issus de diverses familles chimiques (alcools, aldéhydes, alcènes, aromatiques, alcanes, esters, éthers, halogénés, cétones, soufrés, siloxanes et terpènes) furent identifiés. Des variations de composition en composés traces furent observées dans les différents gaz et les corrélations potentielles entre intrants, procédés de traitement des gaz et composés traces identifiés, furent discutées. La génération du mono-terpène p-cymène et d’autres terpènes dans les méthaniseurs digérant surtout des résidus alimentaires, a notamment été mise en évidence. La procédure de préconcentration haute-pression in situ développée dans ce travail peut certainement contribuer à faciliter les opérations de prélèvements de gaz sur le terrain pour déterminer les composés traces dans des matrices gazeuses telles que le biogaz et le biométhane
In pursuance of enhancing knowledge on biogas and biomethane’s trace compounds to help guarantee their sustainable integration in today’s European energy mix, a field sampling set-up enabling direct in situ preconcentration of non-metallic trace compounds in such gas samples at their pipe working pressure (up to 200 bara) was developed. Non-metallic trace compounds targeted in this work included alkanes (linear, cyclic, polycyclic), aromatics, terpenes, alkenes, halogenated organic species, oxygenated organic species (alcohols, aldehydes, esters, furans and ethers, ketones), siloxanes, organic and inorganic Sulphur-compounds. Firstly, state-of-the-art gas sampling and preconcentration techniques for the determination of trace compounds in gaseous matrices were reviewed. Based on this review, preconcentration was chosen to be performed on self-assembled multibed adsorbent tubes (MAT). The preconcentration system was elaborated and optimized in the laboratory: convenient commercial adsorbents were selected; procedures for the assembly and conditioning of new MAT were established; four MAT configurations were tested on their efficiency in adsorbing and releasing targeted trace compounds using certified synthetic gas mixtures containing targeted species at trace concentrations (1 ppmmol) in CH4 or N2 matrices. Analytes preconcentrated on MAT were recovered for analysis by thermal desorption (TD) of the tubes using a new TD prototype followed by gas chromatography (GC) hyphenated with mass spectrometry (MS) (TD-GC-MS). Secondly, the analytical method, and in particular the new TD prototype, was validated. The chromatographic resolution power of the new TD prototype was proved to be higher than that obtained from other well established preconcentration or GC-injection methods such as solid phase microextraction or direct headspace gas injection. Besides, GC-MS parameters were optimized to detect the broad range of trace compounds potentially found in biogas and biomethane.Thirdly, the use of a novel high-pressure tube sampling (HPTS) prototype was evaluated for the circulation of pressurized gases (up to 200 bara) through MAT for the direct high-pressure preconcentration of trace compounds from such gases. The HPTS was first validated in the laboratory using pressurized certified synthetic gas mixtures, and then used on field to sample compressed biomethane at a natural gas grid injection station at 40 bara.Subsequently, the field sampling chain was set-up and 6 field sampling campaigns were conducted where 6 different streams of landfill gas, biogas and biomethane were collected at a landfill plant and two anaerobic digestion plants treating diverse feedstocks. Trace compounds were qualitatively determined in all gas samples via the developed TD-GC-MS method. In a single sampling run and using limited gas volumes ranging 0.5 – 2 LN, a wide range of trace compounds in a variety of chemical families (alcohols, aldehydes, alkenes, aromatics, alkanes (linear, cyclic and polycyclic), esters, furans and ethers, halogenated species, ketones, Sulphur-compounds, siloxanes and terpenes) were identified. Variations in trace compounds composition were observed in the different gases sampled and potential correlations between feedstocks nature, implemented gas treatment processes and trace compounds determined were discussed. In particular, the substantial generation of the mono-terpene p-cymene and of other terpenes was evidenced for anaerobic digestion plants treating principally food-wastes. It is believed the shortened and high-pressure-proof field preconcentration procedure developed in this work can contribute facilitating field sampling operations for the determination of trace compounds in complex gas matrices such as biogas and biomethane

Wildfires are a growing threat, especially in Mediterranean climate areas during periods of drought. Wildfire research community continues to investigate propagation mechanisms on a large scale considering the thermal and fluid mechanics effects, or the main fire emissions (CO, CO2, H2O, H2, CH4). However, research on the effect of abiotic stresses on the plant emission during wildfires remains lacking, despite the fact that Mediterranean are considered important BVOC emitting and storing species. This article addresses the effect of combined hydric and thermal stresses on the volatile’s emission behaviours of two important Mediterranean shrub species; Rosmarinus officinalis and Cistus albidus that are largely consumed in wildfires. Different levels of hydric stress were applied on plants of the two species in a greenhouse of the EBI laboratories of the University of Poitiers. Thermal stress was executed by placing the water stressed plants inside a hermetic enclosure equipped with a radiant panel of maximal radiant heat flux of 84kW.m-2 and a fire-resistant glazed window for visualisation. The gaseous emissions of the plants under thermal stresses were collected and analysed by two complementary devices: an instantaneous gas analyser for CO, CO2, H2 and CH4, and adsorbent tubes by using the techniques of adsorption and desorption (by pyrolysis) for emission collection and analyses, respectively. Simultaneous Py/GC-MS experiments were realised at IC2MP on a foliar scale of the water stressed plants in order to gain more control and precision in emission analyses. The heating tests showed a good reproducibility for pyrolyses of leaf samples and interesting variations between the monoterpene emissions of stressed and unstressed plants. At plant scale, number of tests for each plant species at a given hydric stress level were insufficient to give trends and strong results because of some imposed technical problems and the constraints of public health crisis. However, these tests allowed us to adapt experimental protocols and devices for further testing such as: plant location and fixation, heat flux ramp, sampling location, use of adsorbent tubes, hydric stress duration and normalisation of measured concentrations according to the plant size.