Monitoring Benzene at ppt Levels at Fencelines of Chemical Plants or Refineries

Accepted for presentation at Pittcon 2017 

Sunday March 5, 2017
McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry Poster Session
Slot #38
The ACS Poster Session will be held on Sunday afternoon, March 5, 2017 in the Skyline Ballroom, West 375a, of the McCormick Place. The posters will be on display 3:30 PM to 7:30 PM with authors present from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM.  

Authors: J.L. Maclachlan and J.N Driscoll, PID Analyzers, LLC

Title: Monitoring Benzene at ppt Levels at Fencelines of Chemical Plants or Refineries

Exposures in the area surrounding a manufacturing or chemical plant are regulated by the EPA Clean Air Act of 1990 and subsequent amendments. Since that time, more than 120 regulations have been issued. In Oct. 2015, the EPA issued a new limit of 2.8 ppb of benzene for fence lines at refineries. Fence line monitoring is important since fugitive emission sources account for most of the VOC inventory according to EPA.

Gas chromatography is one of the detection methods mentioned by EPA. The detector described by EPA is the flame ionization detector (FID). Since the FID does not detect  low ppb levels of benzene, a thermal desorber is required. The photoionization detector (PID) is 50-100 times more sensitive than the FID and does not require any support gases like H2 or zero air. The PID can detect < 1 ppb of benzene by direct injection. We have also developed a low power concentrator that can provide a 100 fold concentration of an air sample that can be desorbed in < 3 seconds. We have developed a capillary column that can separate and detect benzene specifically in under 2 minutes in the presence of 50 fold excess of other refinery hydrocarbons.  

The GC/PID will be compared with the GC/FID method for precision and accuracy of low and sub ppb levels of benzene and other VOC’s in refinery atmospheres.

Detection of Toxic Chemicals in the Workplace by GC/PID

Accepted for presentation at Pittcon 2017 in the
Symposium: Environmental Analysis for Air Quality and Atmospheric Conditions 

Wednesday March 8, 2017
8:30am
McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
Authors: J.L. Maclachlan and J.N. Driscoll

Title: Detection of Toxic Chemicals in the Workplace by GC/PID

The current National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) definition for an Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) condition, is one that poses a threat of exposure to airborne contaminants when that exposure is likely to cause death or immediate or delayed permanent adverse health effects or prevent escape from such an environment [NIOSH 2004]. There are nearly 400 hundred compounds listed by NIOSH as IDLH. Some of the most toxic chemicals are Br2, Cl2, acrolein, AsH3, chloro picrin, methyl isocyanate… In 1990, EPA published a list of 189 air toxics which are hazardous air pollutants known to cause or suspected of causing cancer. There are more than 250 chemicals regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that have permissible exposure limits (PEL’s) between 1 ppb and 2 ppm.  

There is a definite need for real time portable analyzers that can detect toxic chemicals with ppb or even ppt detection limits. A compact portable GC with a photoionization detector (PID) has low ppb detection limits for many of these compounds and with an efficient low power thermal desorber can detect ppt levels for many of these toxics. A battery operated GC could also be used to protect first responders in areas where there have been spills of hazardous chemicals. Presently, a gas chromatograph/ mass spectrometer (GC/MS) located in a trailer is used at a number of spill sites although it is not an ideal solution.


We will develop and describe the columns and conditions for a GC/PID for 12 toxic compounds on the OSHA toxic chemicals list or the NIOSH IDLH list.

Rapid real-time screening of soil and water at hazardous waste sites

This paper was presented at the American Chemical Society Fall meeting in Philadelphia, PA on the Environmental Chemistry Division program track in a symposium titled: Recent Advances in Remediation Strategies and Technologies for the Cleanup of Hazardous Waste Sites. This talk discusses headspace screening of VOC’s in soil and water samples that can be done in the field using a GC/PID headspace method for rapid detection. 

Headspace Gas Chromatograph/PID for Onsite Screening of Soil and Water at Hazardous Waste Sites from Jennifer Maclachlan

Call for contributions to Advances in Analytical Separations at the 2017 #ACSSanFran meeting

Submit an abstract today or learn more about other Analytical Chemistry Division programming planned at the ACS San Francisco National Meeting April 2-6 2016: https://callforpapers.acs.org/sanfran2017/ANYL

If you have questions specific to the Advances in Separations symposium, please email me directly.

SCHB member benefits: Discover the resources the ACS Division of Small Chemical Businesses offers

SUBMISSION ROLE: 2016 Northeast Regional Meeting

CONTROL ID: 2586282

ABSTRACT SYMPOSIUM NAME: Small Chemical Businesses

AUTHORS (FIRST NAME, LAST NAME): Jennifer L. Maclachlan1

INSTITUTIONS (ALL): 1. PID Analyzers, LLC, Sandwich, MA, United States.

TITLE: SCHB member benefits: Discover the resources the ACS Division of Small Chemical Businesses offers

ABSTRACT BODY:  Abstract: The ACS Division of Small Chemical Businesses (SCHB) member benefits include: free membership for the first year, a deeply discounted booth exhibit space at ACS national meetings, a listing on our website business directory, discounted Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates (SOCMA) membership, outstanding programming at ACS national, regional, and (started in 2012) partnerships with local sections for programming, webinars, and other related events. At the heart of it all are amazing networking opportunities, including lunches, social events and ACS Division leadership opportunities for individuals who are self-employed, and/or employed by established as well as start-up chemical businesses. Presentation details: Friday afternoon at #NERM2016 Doubletree Hotel, Johnson Room 1:05pm-1:35pm October 7, 2016 Binghampton, NY Learn more about the conference and/or register here

Personal branding in the digital age to advance your career in the chemical sciences

SUBMISSION ROLE: 2016 Northeast Regional Meeting

CONTROL ID: 2591588

ABSTRACT SYMPOSIUM NAME: Younger Chemist Committee Workshop

AUTHORS (FIRST NAME, LAST NAME): Jennifer L. Maclachlan1

INSTITUTIONS (ALL): 1. PID Analyzers, LLC, Sandwich, MA, United States.

TITLE: Personal branding in the digital age to advance your career in the chemical sciences

ABSTRACT BODY: Abstract: Learning how to create a social strategy and develop a personal brand as an early career scientist can be advantageous for career advancement. This presentation will focus on the balance between personal and professional social media accounts, how to promote yourself as a scientist while maintaining your fan base and integrating social media and traditional networking to connect with a broader audience and ultimately, expand your network. Various social media platforms such as Linked-In, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and blogs will be referenced. Presentation details:  Saturday morning October 8, 2016 Doubletree Hotel, Carlton Room Binghamtpon, NY 9:55am-10:25am Learn more about #NERM2016 or register to attend here

Leveraging Linked-In and other simple social media in your sector of the chemical enterprise

AUTHORS (FIRST NAME, LAST NAME): Jennifer L. Maclachlan1

INSTITUTIONS (ALL): 1. PID Analyzers, LLC, Sandwich, MA, United States.

TITLE: Leveraging linked-In and other simple social media in your sector of the chemical enterprise

ABSTRACT BODY:  Abstract: Learn how to maximize your Linked-In profile and integrate other popular social media such as Facebook for business and individual Facebook accounts, Twitter, websites and blogs to share your science. The communication tools illustrated by examples in this presentation can be used for small chemical businesses, to promote research both published and unpublished, for use by members of ACS Divisions and/or ACS Local Sections and/or other scientific organizations and other community-based events. Details: Friday October 7, 2016 American Chemical Society Northeast Regional Meeting #NERM16 Binghampton, NY 3:50pm-4:20pm Doubletree Hotel, Johnson Room Register to attend this presentation and access the full meeting