The MTI Analytical Instruments (MTI) P200 gas analyzer, shown below, is a dual-channel, high- speed, portable micro gas chromatograph (GC) that provides isothermal analysis of gas-phase samples. The injector and thermal conductivity detector (TCD) are micromachined in silicon, generating high-quality, high-precision chromatographic components. The dimensions of these silicon devices enable the use of microbore capillary columns with an inner diameter of 0.320 millimeter or less.
Gas-phase samples are drawn into a sample loop with an internal vacuum pump. An aliquot of the sample is then introduced onto the capillary column using the microvalves of the silicon injector. All analyses are completed in less than 160 seconds, making the P200 gas analyzer one of the fastest commercially available GCs.
The P200 gas analyzer houses an internal sealed lead acid battery and an internal supply cylinder of carrier gas providing 6 to 8 hours of continuous operation. When interfaced with a laptop computer and used with MTI's chromatography data system, the P200 is fully capable of field operation.
The P200 gas analyzer has a minimum detectable level of 1 part per million for a wide variety of volatile organic compounds (VOC), including xylenes. A heated sample inlet system enables the P200 gas analyzer to detect naphthalene and hexachlorobutadiene. MTI's Trapper 2000 portable sample concentrator extends the analytical detection limit of the P200 to about 1 to 10 parts per billion for EPA Method TO-14 compounds.
The P200 gas analyzer is capable of analyzing soil gases, VOC contaminants in groundwater, and, with the use of the Trapper 2000 portable sample concentrator, VOCs in ambient air (for example, Method TO-14 compounds). The micro TCD is suitable for analyzing many types of organic and inorganic vapor-phase compounds. The P200 gas analyzer can be used to monitor VOC emissions from hazardous waste sites before and during remediation. Because of its portability, high analytical speed, and relatively low detection limit, this field GC provides not only rapid field screening of VOCs, but also provides results of similar quality to those produced by a laboratory GC mass spectrometer.
The P200 gas analyzer was evaluated during a field study in August 1995. During the study, downwind vapors from an artificial source generator were analyzed. Preliminary results of the demonstration were presented in an article titled "Performance Comparison of Field-Deployable Gas Chromatographs with Canister TO-14 Analyses" in the Proceeding of the 1996 U.S. EPA/Air and Waste Management Association International Symposium, VIP-64, 1996.
EPA PROJECT MANAGER:
Richard Berkley
U.S. EPA
National Exposure Research Laboratory
MD-44
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
919-541-2439
Fax: 919-541-3527
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPER CONTACT:
David Sherve
MTI Analytical Instruments
41762 Christy Street
Fremont, CA 94538
510-490-0900
Fax: 510-490-0904