The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
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Title:	Adsorption capabilities of adsorbents for selected toxic air pollutants
Author:	Vaccaro, Richard Michael
View Online:	njit-etd1979-015 (xi, 206 pages ~ 7.7 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Environmental Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Bozzelli, Joseph W. (Committee chair) Greenberg, Arthur (Committee member) Kebbekus, Barbara B. (Committee member)
Date:	1979-10
Keywords:	Air -- Pollution -- Measurement Adsorption
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	The relative adsorption capacities of seven toxic, volatile organic air pollutants of either proven or suspected carcinogenic potential were tested on various adsorbents. Tests were run at flow velocities similar to those set in field sampling. This allows for extrapolation of test results to actual ambient air sampling systems. Experimentation was performed using a gas chromatograph (G.C.) equipped with a flame ionization detector. Sample introduction was carried out using the "displacement method" where the sample is introduced to the adsorbent cartridge as a plug. Incipient elution volumes (VN), normalized for bulk adsorbent packing volume, were obtained at various temperatures. Plots were drawn of the In VN vs. 103/T (°K) for each adsorbate-adsorbent combination. The plots all show good linearity. From the plots, results indicate that Spherocarb is by far the strongest adsorbent for the volatile organics tested while Tenax is the weakest. XAD-2 is very close to Tenax in retentiveness, but retains CCl4 at the experimental flow velocity whereas Tenax does not. Porapak-T has adsorption capabilities consistently above Tenax and below Spherocarb, while Silica Gel shows a very strong retention of high boiling and water soluble compounds.