PID Analyzers' Technical Program SUNDAY at Pittcon 2020

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  SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT PITTCON 2020:
  

  Analysis of Medical Cannabis Terpenes by GC-PID   

  • Room: Room W176A
  • Session Number: 5-3-3
  Sunday, March 01, 2020: 2:10 PM - 2:30 PM
  Authors: Driscoll, Maclachlan (presenting)
  

  Description

  With recent changes and liberalization in the law, cannabis is now a rapidly growing industry and lab testing is required for medicinal and recreational cannabis as well as residual cannabis solvents. There are a few gas chromatography (GC) detectors presently used for this analysis but each has its challenges. The Flame ionization detector (FID) requires hydrogen support gas and can have problems with flameout during injections. The GC Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) detector is not very useful for analysis of residual solvents or terpenes since more than a dozen of the important terpenes have an m/e of 136 with different secondary ions. Alpha and beta-pinene have similar parent ions but slightly different secondary ions. The Photoionization Detector (PID) does not require any support gases like hydrogen, has a strong response for terpenes, has a long lifetime lamp, is non-destructive and can be easily added to any GC. It has both analog and digital signal outputs and will accept a digital signal from the GC to autozero the amplifier at the start of the run. One interesting detector combination is using a PID (non-destructive) coupled with an FID in-series for structural identification of peaks (1). We used a new to the market GC model 323 with a PID and have developed a method for profiling of medical cannabis terpenes (22 components). We use a low mass capillary (624) column and a PID for the analysis. We can cool the low mass oven from 290 degrees C to 60 degrees C in less than 2 minutes thereby reducing the overall analysis time. This system can also be used for residual solvent analysis that involves the extraction of active ingredients from cannabis using solvents such as ethanol, carbon dioxide, butane, and water. 1. Driscoll, et al., "Gas Chromatographic Detection and Identification of Aromatic and Aliphatic Hydrocarbons in Complex Mixtures by Coupling Photoionization and Flame Ionization Detectors," J. Chrom., 158, 171 (1978)
  
  
  ACS SUNDAY EVENING POSTERS:
  
  Rapid Analysis of Volatile and Semivolatile Organic Compounds with a Field Portable GC-PID
  Authors: Driscoll, Maclachlan (presenting)
  
  Room: Skyline Ballroom

• Session Number: 6-2-11P

Sunday, March 01, 2020: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Description

We used our line operated Portable Gas Chromatograph (GC-311- 115VAC) with a Photoionization Detector (PID) for many years at hazardous waste sites and for industrial hygiene surveys of volatile hydrocarbons at ppm and ppb levels. In order to bring our Model GC312 directly to the field, we needed a longer battery life. We have developed a low mass capillary column which required significantly less power, improved the insulation, and used a lower power PC and a lower power color monitor. Now we can operate the GC for 4-6 hours at 75 degrees C or for 8-10 hours at 5-10 degrees C above the ambient temperature. This allows us to analyze volatile compounds like vinyl chloride monomer (gas), benzene (BP 78 degrees C) at 30-40 degrees C or non volatile compounds like 1 vinyl 2 pyrrolidone (BP 148 degrees C), ethylbutyric acid (BP 195 degrees C) and, Napthalene (BP 218 degrees C) or other PAH’s at 75 degrees C to detect ppm to ppb levels. We can operate the GC at temperatures up to 150 degrees C but above 75 degrees C, the GC has to be line powered. Benzene at refinery or chemical plant fence lines can be detected at low ppb levels with an analysis time of < 30 seconds. A complete BTEX analysis (benzene through o-xylene) can be accomplished in 3 minutes.

SEE US AT OUR  PITTCON EXPO BOOTH # 3938: HNU PID Analyzers 

A New Method for ppb Analysis of H2S in Air and Water

Accepted for presentation at Pittcon 2015
March 8 - 12, 2015
New Orleans, LA
Abstract Number: 770 - 3
Session 770 - Environmental - LC/GC Techniques
Day and Time: Monday, March 09, 2015, 02:10 PMRoom 257
Authors: Jack Driscoll and Jennifer Maclachlan, PID Analyzers, LLC

Methodology:Gas ChromatographyApplication: EnvironmentalPrimary Focus: ApplicationTitle: A New Method for ppb Analysis of H2S in Air and WaterKeywords:

Environmental Analysis Gas Chromatography GC Detectors Specialty Gas Analysis

The photoionization detector (PID) is a very sensitive GC detector for sulfur compounds with pg detection limits for hydrogen sulfide. This compound can be efficiently collected in the field in an impinger with a basic solution (0.01M NaOH) at a known period of time and flow rate. The solution should be kept out of sunlight. Back in the lab, since the pKa for H2S is 6.9, the addition of 0.1 M acid will convert the sulfide (collected) to H2S which can be swept out of a vessel with an inlet, exhaust and septum (for addition of acid {H+}). Once the H+ is added, the solution is stirred for several minutes, then the nitrogen is turned on at 15 cc/min/ and the H2S is swept into the sample loop of the six port GC injection valve. The H2S is separated on a porous polymer column and detected by the PID. A 10ng/L sample (permeation tube) of H2S collected for 10 minutes indicated a detection limit (3 sigma) of 0.9 ppb. The coefficient of variation at 25 ppb was 16.3% for 5 successive runs. The PID has a dynamic range > 107 so a high level stack sample (200 ppm) would still be in the linear range with a slightly shorter sampling time.

Here's the full session lineup: 

Upgrade your GC

Our PID detectors are easy to install on any commercial GC.

Selectivity

Improves separations and analysis of trace species

Wide linear dynamic range

> 10⁷

50-200 times more sensitive than the FID 

High sensitivity

pg or sub pg detection limits- most sensitive PID available

Non destructive

Detectors can be run in-series

Used by environmental agencies worldwide

Display (PI52 only)

Our 2 line by 16 character display can be backlit; used for range and background readings.

ADC

Our 16 bit ADC provides a resolution of 1 part in 64,000 and our signal algorithm minimizes noise by signal averaging in the msec range

Programmable Voltage output

0-10VDC (PI52 only)

• The photoionization detector (PID) is used for the measurement of low (ppb) organic and inorganic species that can be ionized by the UV lamp (9.5, 10.6 & 11.7). Nearly 20,000 of these detectors have been sold worldwide since it was first released by HNU Systems in 1976. It has been used for the measurement of VOC’s in water (EPA method 602, EPA Method 50--, EPA Method SW846…, numerous OSHA methods), quality control… There are two Models that are described below:



• The Model PI52 has a PID, a power supply for the lamp and bias and an electrometer. The electrometer output is 0-10 VDC. The customer needs a separate ADC channel to feed the signal into the GC’s data system. Alternately, PID Analyzers sells a data system (Model 50) that will feed the signal into a separate PC.



• The Model PI51 has a PID and a power supply for the lamp and bias. Here, the customer uses the electrometer (FID type with a positive bias) already in the Gas chromatograph. This should already have the ADC connection to the customer GC data system.



• The PID is one of the most sensitive detectors available for VOC’s. It has the widest dynamic range of any detector available (108) and does not require any support gases except the carrier.

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Specifications

Species measured:

Organics (VOCs) and inorganic species

that can be ionized by the UV lamp (9.5, 10.6, 11.7)

Detection limit:

<0.5 ppb of benzene

Range:

> 5 x 10⁷

Detector:

2.5'' D x 5.5'' L

Electronics enclosure (PI52):

Weight: 3 lbs.

Size: -'' W x -'' L x -'' H

Electronics enclosure (PI51):

Weight: 0.40 lbs

Size: 4'' W x 5'' D x 1.25''H

Power consumption:

< 2 amps @ 115V

Dimensions:

10'' L x 3'' W x 2.25'' D

Instrument operating conditions:

5-40 degrees C, 0-95% RH (non-condensing)

For more information, this product brochure is available for viewing or download here. Contact us for a quotation here.

Fast GC Analysis with PID & FUV Detectors for Industrial Hygiene Monitoring at Low ppb Levels

Fast GC Analysis with PID and FUV Detectors for Industrial Hygiene Monitoring at Low ppb Levels by John N. Driscoll, D. Walsh of PID Analyzers and Phil Smith of USDOL OSHA, has been accepted for podium presentation during the 2011 American Industrial Hygiene Conference & Expo (AIHce), May 14-May 19 in Portland, OR. 

Topic:Air Sampling Instrument Performance   

Presentation #:PO 111-1  

This  podium presentation is scheduled in the session titled Field Detection, Sampling and Analysis: Real Time Detection Systems, scheduled for Tuesday May 17, 2011 10:30 AM - 10-50 AM.

Featured product #AIHCE booth #718

Abstract:
Objective: Fast Analysis of Gases and Solvents- Industrial Hygienists are typically pushed to provide rapid solutions involving a variety of complex mixtures that threaten workers health.
Methods: Portable Gas chromatography with a photoionization detector (PID),one of the most sensitive detectors for organic compounds, and a Far UV detector (nearly universal detector with ppb detection capability). The detection limits for benzene with these two detectors on a conventional capillary column (0. 32 mm id X 15M wax with an 0.5 μ film) were 0.5 ppb for the PID and 30 ppb for the FUV.

Results-Our approach involves using a 25m x 0.32 mm packed with Haysep P (for analysis of solvents) that is restively heated and can be programmed at a high rate. It can also be cooled faster since it has a very small thermal mass. A sample of 50 ppb of benzene was run on the PID & FUV. Note that the peak heights (counts) were improved by 5-9 times for these two detectors. The analysis times were similar because of the stronger retention of benzene on the porous polymer column. The advantage here is that the porous polymer column can be used for gases or solvents whereas the capillary column is designed only for solvents.
Conclusions- The precision (coefficient of variation) at 50 ppb was +/- 5% for the PID and +/- 15% for the FUV. No significant difference in precision was observed between the two types of columns. The main advantage was that the fast GC (with porous polymer column) could analyze a much wider range of compounds than the capillary column.

JOIN US AT A RECEPTION AT #AIHCE:

in honor of AIHA Real-Time Detection Systems Committee Member, Jack Driscoll on Sunday May 15, 2011 from 6pm-7pm at the Hilton Portland & Exec Towers, 23rd Floor. Please register by emailing me or using the registration link here.