Detektion leicht flüchtiger organischer Verbindungen mikrobiellen Ursprungs (MVOC) mittels Ionenmobilitätsspektrometrie (IMS)

Spuren leicht flüchtiger organischer Verbindungen mikrobiellen Ursprungs (MVOC) in der Luft von Innenräumen können das Vorhandensein von Schimmelpilzen indizieren. Die Anwendung der Ionenmobilitätsspektrometrie (IMS) zur Detektion von leicht flüchtigen schimmelpilzspezifischen Verbindungen ist wegen ihrer hohen Empfindlichkeit vielversprechend. Um dieses analytisch-chemische Verfahren für eine Innenraumdiagnostik zu nutzen, wurde ein mobil einsetzbares Gerät zur vor-Ort-Detektion getestet.Im ersten Teil der Arbeit wurden MVOC-Prüfgase im Labor generiert. Die Prüfgase wurden durch permeative Beimengungen in einen definierten Gasstrom hergestellt. Anhand dieser Prüfgase wurden die typischen IMS-Parameter, wie reduzierte Mobilität (K0), relative Driftzeit (trd), Konzentrationsabhängigkeit der Signale und daraus resultierend die Nachweisgrenze des Ionenmobilitätsspektrometer ermittelt. Die bestimmten Nachweisgrenzen der 14 untersuchten MVOC liegen im Bereich zwischen 2 und 192 µg m 3 (1 bis 51 ppbV).Im zweiten Teil wurden sieben oft im Innenraum nachgewiesene Schimmelpilzarten auf Nährmedien kultiviert und ihre produzierten MVOC detektiert. Dabei wurde festgestellt, dass Schimmelpilze art- und altersabhängige MVOC-Emissionen aufweisen. Eine statistische Auswertung und Bestätigung zeigte die Anwendung der Hauptkomponentenanalyse (PCA). Versuchsbegleitend erfolgte eine Identifizierung der MVOC durch gaschromatographische Analysen und bestätigte die IMS-Ergebnisse.Beim Schimmelpilzwachstum einer Mischsporenkultur auf drei verschiedenen Baumaterialien wurden die produzierten MVOC detektiert. Die IMS-Spektren wurden chemometrisch durch eine PCA ausgewertet. Es können die Spektren von unbeimpften und mit Schimmelpilzkulturen beimpften Baumaterialien damit unterscheiden werden ohne die stoffliche Zusammensetzung der Emissionskammerluft zu kennen.Im letzten Teil dieser Arbeit wurde das IMS in 27 Feldversuchen eingesetzt, um MVOC und damit ein Schimmelpilzwachstum in Innenräumen zu detektieren. In 59 % der Fälle wurde eine positive Korrelation zwischen einem sichtbaren Schimmelpilzbefall und den mittels IMS detektierten MVOC ermittelt

Final publishable JRP summary for ENV55 MetNH3 - Metrology for Ammonia in Ambient Air

This project developed reference standards and measurement techniques for traceable measurements of NH3 in air. These will enable validated high quality ammonia measurement data which will help monitor and compare NH3 levels and ensure compliance with environmental protection policies and legislation

MetNH3: Metrology for Ammonia in Ambient Air

Measuring ammonia in ambient air is a sensitive and priority issue due to its harmful effects on human health and ecosystems. Ammonia is increasingly being globally acknowledged as a key precursor to atmospheric particulate matter. The European Directive 2001/81/EC on “National Emission Ceilings for Certain Atmospheric Pollutants (NEC)” regulates ammonia emissions in the member states. However, due to the chemical characteristics of ambient ammonia traceable on-line measurements still have significant challenges in analytical technology, uncertainty, quality assurance and quality control (QC/QA). Currently the UK National Ammonia Monitoring Network uses an accredited off-line low temporal resolution and on-line denuder–IC methods at the UK Supersites. There is a need for traceable ammonia measurements which will be vitally important for identifying changes in environment policies, climate and agricultural practice. This in turn should lead to improvements emission inventory uncertainties and for providing independent verification of atmospheric model predictions. MetNH3 (EMRP Joint Research Project) has worked with SMEs in testing improved reference gas mixtures by static and dynamic gravimetric generation methods, develop and refine existing laser based optical spectrometric standards and establishing the transfer from high-accuracy standards to field applicable methods. The first results from the metrological characterisation of a commercially available cavity ring-down spectrometer (CRDS) are presented and the results from a new design “Controlled Atmosphere Test Facility (CATFAC)”, which is currently characterising the performance of diffusive samplers. The range and characteristics of instruments are discussed. The plans for a major ammonia field intercomparison in 2016 will be outlined

Metrology for Ammonia in Ambient Air. Final publishable JRP report

This project developed reference standards and measurement techniques for traceable measurements of NH3 in air. These will enable validated high quality ammonia measurement data which will help monitor and compare NH3 levels and ensure compliance with environmental protection policies and legislation

New planar trace humidity sensor

A new planar sensor element for continuous coulometric trace humidity measurements in industrial gases has been developed. In order to ensure precise measurements a calibration facility including a precision dew point hygrometer as a reference device was developed. The sensor can measure the humidity in the frost point temperature range of -20 °C to -80 °C and has an expanded uncertainty of 2 K, a fast reaction time and a settling time of the entire system from 15 to 30 min

Development of a Device for Staged Determination of Water Activity and Moisture Content

Moisture content and water activity are important parameters for quality characterizationof products like bulk materials, powders, granules. Thus, an exact determination is necessarilyrequired in a wide range of industrial applications. Moisture of materials is the content ofnon-chemically bound water in a solid or liquid. Water activity (aw) is a characteristic/parameter ofthe non-chemically bound (“free„) water in materials and is measured as humidity over asolid/liquid surface at constant temperature (equilibrium moisture content). It is an importantparameter to characterize the quality of e.g., pharmaceutical and food products. In ourcontribution, we present the developed MOISHUM device for staged determination of wateractivity and moisture content of liquid and solid materials

Development of a device for staged determination of water activity and moisture content

Moisture content and water activity are important parameters for quality characterization of products like bulk materials, powders, granules. Thus, an exact determination is necessarily required in a wide range of industrial applications. Moisture of materials is the content of non‐chemically bound water in a solid or liquid. Water activity (aW) is a characteristic/parameter of the non‐chemically bound (ʺfreeʺ) water in materials and is measured as humidity over a solid/liquid surface at constant temperature (equilibrium moisture content). It is an important parameter to characterize the quality of e. g. pharmaceutical and food products. In our contribution, we present the developed MOISHUM device for staged determination of water activity and moisture content of liquid and solid materials

Detection of Adulterated Diesel Using Fluorescent Test Strips and Smartphone Readout

The fluorescence properties of three molecular rotors, related to 4-dimethylamino-4-nitrostilbene (4-DNS), are studied versus different diesel/kerosene blends. In nonviscous solvents, these compounds can populate a twisted intramolecular charge transfer state which deactivates nonradiatively, successfully suppressing fluorescence emission. Solution experiments with diesel/kerosene blends showed a good linear correlation between the fluorescence intensity of the probe molecules and the diesel fraction of the blend. The dyes have been immobilized on paper, retaining their fluorescence behavior, i.e., negligible emission in the presence of nonviscous organic solvents and increasing fluorescence when the environment is increasingly viscous. When the impregnated paper is devised as a test strip, the latter is compatible with a newly designed smartphone reader system, which allows in-the-field measurements. The method can safely detect the presence of kerosene in diesel at ≥7%, which competes favorably with current standard methods for the detection of diesel adulteration