NCJ Number
217218
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 52 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2007 Pages: 70-74
Date Published
January 2007
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This study compared two adsorbents, Tenax TA and Carbotrap 300, in terms of their usefulness as passive adsorbents of flammable liquids compounds, and it determined whether Carbotrap 300 could be used in a passive adsorption mode, contrary to manufacturer recommendations.
Abstract
The study found that although these two adsorbents differed significantly from each other in adsorption properties, each of them could be successfully used for passive adsorption of ignitable liquids compounds. Tenax TA was more effective for the adsorption of nonpolar, high-boiling compounds; and Carbotrap was more effective for polar and volatile compounds. The two adsorbents differed in their susceptibility to thermal desorption. When Carbotrap 300 was used, an additional treatment was required to remove the remnants of adsorbed compounds after the analysis. When Tenax TA was used, this additional step was unnecessary, because the thermal desorption was sufficiently effective to allow the product to be immediately reused. If the adsorption temperature is properly set, Tenax TA is the more suitable adsorbent for trace amounts of common ignitable liquids. In order to compare the adsorption properties and the thermal desorption efficiency of the two adsorbents, the components of the test mixture were adsorbed and then chromatographically analyzed. The analysis was conducted with an automated thermal desorber coupled with a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer. A detailed description is provided of the equipment, materials, and methods used. 1 table, 4 figures, and 10 references