Patent ID: 6338824
Filing Date: 2002-01-15
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for detecting concentrations in the range of 10âˆ’15 g/unit time to 10âˆ’18 g/unit time of a target species in a sample gas, comprising:providing a gas chromatograph, directing the sample gas through said gas chromatograph to separate the target species, providing a heated redox-chamber including an aerogel material and containing a bed of mercuric oxide, connecting the heated redox-chamber to the gas chromatograph to allow the sample gas containing the separated target species to percolate through the bed of mercuric oxide causing oxidizing of the target species and liberation of mercury atoms from the bed, providing an ultra-violet light detection chamber having an ultra-violet sensitive detector and a source of ultra-violet light, directing the liberated mercury atoms through the detection chamber for detection thereof by the detector, correlating the detected mercury atoms to the concentration of the target species providing a vapor trap having an aerogel material, and directing the liberated mercury atoms into the vapor trap to trap the mercury atoms therein.