Abstract:
A novel multi-gas passive sampler is described, whereby different collection media are packed into one passive sampler to collect a variety of air pollutants (or groups of air pollutants) at the same time. By comparison with known commercially available passive samplers—in which only a single collection medium is used to collect a single air pollutant of or group of air pollutants—the MGPS is more cost effective, convenient to use and more environment-friendly.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority of U.S. provisional application No. 60/945,119 filed on Jun. 20, 2007 and also entitled MULTIGAS PASSIVE SAMPLER, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to passive sampling, more particularly technologies for passively sampling multiple air pollutants simultaneously. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    There is great scientific and social interest in monitoring air pollutants indoors and outdoors. Many monitoring technologies for air pollutants have been developed and subsequently improved in the past few decades. Generally speaking, these technologies can be classified as either integrative collection or real-time analytical technologies. Both technologies can be further divided into two categories: active and passive methods. 
         [0004]    Active methods directly pump air through collection or analytical devices to collect or analyze air pollutants. Therefore, electrical power is typically required. A passive (or diffusive) sampler is a device which is capable of taking samples of gas or vapor pollutants from air at a rate controlled by a physical process such as diffusion through a static air layer or permeation through a membrane and does not involve actively drawing or impelling the air through the sampler. Passive samplers are generally simple in structure and do not require electricity. Therefore, passive samplers are relatively cost-effective and convenient to use. 
         [0005]    A number of different passive samplers have been developed and are in current commercial use. Passive sampling and systems for carrying out passive sampling are described, inter al, in the following documents:
   Koutrakis, P.; Wolfson, J. M., Bunyaviroch, A., Froehlich, S. E., Hirono, K., and Mlik, J. D., (1993), “Measurement of ambient ozone using a nitrite coated filter”,  Anal. Chem.,  65, 209-214.   Krupa, S. and Legge, A., (2000), “Passive sampling of ambient, gaseous air pollutants: an assessment from an ecological perspective”,  Environmental Pollution,  107, 31-45.   Lewis, R. G.; Mulik, J. D.; Coutant, R. W.; Wooten, G. W.; Mcmillin, C. R.; (1985), “Thermal desorbable passive sampling device for volatile organic chemicals in ambient air”,  Analytical Chemistry,  57, 214-219.   3M, VOC passive sampler, www.3m.com   Ogawa &amp; Company USA, http://ogwausa.com   Tang, H.; Brassard, B.; Brasssard R.; Peake, E.; (1997), “A New Passive Sampling System for Monitoring SO 2  in the Atmosphere”,  FACT,  1(5), 307-315.   Tang, H.; Lau, T.; Brassard B.; Cool, W., (1999), “A New All-season Passive Sampling System for Monitoring NO 2  in Air”,  FACT,  6, 338-345.   Tang, H. and Lau, L., (2000) “A new all season passive sampling system for monitoring ozone in air”,  Environ. Monit. Assess.  65/1-2, 129-137.   Tang, H.; Sandeluk, J,; Lin L,; and Lown W.; (2002) “A new all season passive sampling system for monitoring H2S in air”,  The ScientificWorld,  2, 155-168.   Uchiyama, S.; Asai, M.; Hasegawa, S.; (1999), “A scientific diffusion sampler for the determination of the volatile organic compounds in ambient air”,  Atmospheric Environment,  33, 1913-1920.   
 
         [0016]    All of the above-listed documents are hereby incorporated by reference for their teachings in connection with passive sampling systems. Of these, Krupa and Legge (2000) summarize the available passive samplers into different types, such as badge (3M), diffusion tube with filter absorption (Ogawa) or solid absorption (Uchiyama et al. 1999), and adsorption cartridge (Lewis et al. 1985) etc. 
         [0017]    All of the passive samplers described in publications such as those identified above are used to collect a single air pollutant such as SO 2 , NO 2 , NO x , H 2 S, O 3 , NH 3 , VOC, ANK etc. As a practical matter, however, in many studies it is necessary to monitor several air pollutants in replication. Thus, a great number of passive samplers and rain shelters are needed at each location making for a cumbersome and expensive system and tedious set-up and collection operation. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    The present invention provides a passive sampler having a body with an open end, a closed end and a plurality of installable and removable sampler elements. The removable sampler elements can provide selected sampler media inside the body for sequentially collecting a variety of pollutants from air entering the body through the open end. The body can be cylindrical and the sampler elements can have a circular contour coaxial with the body. The passive sampler can also include a diffusion barrier that covers the open end of the body and at least one spacer ring for maintaining fixed spaces among the plurality of circular sampler media. The diffusion barrier can be held over the open of the body with an annular cover ring and at least two of the sampler media can be sectors of a single sampler element. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a known single-medium passive sampler which may be adapted for multi-gas sampling according to the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a schematic drawing of a passive sampling system using three passive samplers according to  FIG. 1  and having a protective rain shelter; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is an exploded schematic view of a passive sampler according to the present invention for the simultaneous sampling of seven atmospheric pollutants; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is an exploded schematic view of a passive sampler according to the present invention for the simultaneous sampling of six atmospheric pollutants; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is an exploded schematic view of a passive sampler according to the present invention for the simultaneous sampling of five atmospheric pollutants; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is an exploded schematic view of a passive sampler according to the present invention for the simultaneous sampling of four atmospheric pollutants; 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is an exploded schematic view of a passive sampler according to the present invention for the simultaneous sampling of three atmospheric pollutants; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is an exploded schematic view of a passive sampler according to the present invention for the simultaneous sampling of two atmospheric pollutants. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    The invention resides in the number and sequencing of multiple air pollution collection media. These can be, as appropriate to the specific pollutants to be sampled, treated granular materials such as silica gel or activated charcoal supported by specially treated planar screens, fine particles of reactive sorbent on an air-permeable substrate, or chemically-treated filters. 
         [0028]    The invention may be carried out by simple modification of known commercially-available passive samplers, which use a single collection medium to collect a single air pollutant or group of air pollutants, which contains a diffusion barrier (filter) and a spacer ring, and which affords enough space to host at least two support screens and several layers of collection medium. 
         [0029]    One such passive sampler is that designed by Tang et al., described in three of the above-listed documents incorporated by reference. 
         [0030]    The Tang et al. passive sampler comprises a generally cylindrical body  10  whose open end, in use, is covered by a diffusion barrier  12  in single sampling medium (sampler)  14  is shown which is spaced from diffusion barrier  12  by support ring  16  and held in position between ring  16  and annular ledge  10   a  on body. Diffusion barrier  12  is peripherally sealed to the open end of the sampler body and to the support ring by removable sampler cover  18 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 2  schematically illustrates a passive sampler system employing three samplers (only two visible) of the kind indicated in  FIG. 1 , maintained in a horizontal arrangement by support means  20  and protected by a dome-shaped rain shelter  22  for outdoor use. 
         [0032]    As noted above, for many purposes it is necessary to monitor simultaneously a number of different air pollutants, so the number of samplers and rain shelters required can be considerable. For example, if seven air pollutants are required to be monitored at the same time and at the same location—in triplicate for meaningful averaging of measurements—then seven rain-shelters and twenty-one passive samplers are called for, using current technology. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 3-8  illustrate examples of multi-gas passive samplers (MGPS) according to the present invention. The passive sampler body  10 , pollutant collection media with support screens  24 , support ring  12  and sampler cover  18  are shown in exploded view, in the sequential order of their assembly. Once assembled the sampler is inverted with the covers  18  disposed to the underside, as in the orientation of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0034]      FIGS. 3-8  illustrate MGPS according to the present invention.  FIG. 3  illustrates an MGPS assembly for seven pollutants (SO 2 , NO 2 , H 2 S, O 3 , NH 3 , VOC and ANK);  FIG. 4  for six pollutants (SO 2 , NO 2 , H 2 S, O 3 , NH 3  and VOC);  FIG. 5  for five pollutants (SO 2 , NO 2 , H 2 S, O 3  and NH 3 );  FIG. 6  for four pollutants (SO 2 , NO 2 , H 2 S and O 3 );  FIG. 7  for three pollutants (SO 2 , H 2 S and O 3 ); and  FIG. 8  for two pollutants (SO 2 ). 
         [0035]    In the drawings, in a number of instances, a given circular layer of sampling medium (hereinafter referred to as a “sampler element”) will consist of two or more separate media arranged in sectors. Ozone collection medium, sulfur dioxide collection medium, hydrogen sulfide collection medium, nitrogen dioxide collection medium and ammonia collection medium are referred to by the abbreviations as OCM, SCM, HSCM, NCM and ACM. “VOCM” refers to the medium for sampling volatile organic compounds, collectively treated as a single air pollutant. “ANKM” similarly designates an aldehydes and ketones collection medium. In  FIG. 4  (six pollutants) it will be seen that the first layer of medium after the diffusion barrier has equiangular segments of NH 3  medium, NO 2  medium, H 2 S medium and SO 2  medium. The contiguous porous screen  24  is partitioned into four corresponding sectors, each of which is provided with an appropriate identification symbol for matching up with the segments of NH 3  medium, etc. One or two sectors may be left open, if only three or two media segments are used in the first layer [see  FIGS. 7 and 8 ]. 
         [0036]    The MGPS for seven air pollutants is shown in  FIG. 3 . The bottom of the passive sampler is packed with a bag VOCM of commercially-available activated charcoal for sampling VOC and a bag ANKM of commercially-available DNPH-coated silica gel for sampling aldehydes and ketones. Above the bags VOCM and ANKM is an ozone collection filter  26 , which also acts as an ozone scrubber to protect active organic compounds such as formaldehyde from reacting with ozone. 
         [0037]    In the loaded passive samples of  FIG. 3 , marked four-part screen  24  is installed above the ozone collecting medium to separate the first layer collection media from the ozone collection filter. The marks on screen  24  are used to identify the four collection media (SO 2 , NO 2 , H 2 S, and NH 3 ) are packed above adjacent screen  24 . A small spacing (0.5 mm) is required between each pair of collection media in order to avoid cross-contamination and cross-interference. 
         [0038]    For efficient and accurate operation of the passive sampler there are a number of constraints to the choices of collection media and to the order in which the collection media must be assembled in the sampler body. One such is the need to ensure that an upstream collection medium does not scrub out a pollutant that is be collected by a downstream medium. 
         [0039]    Another constraint related to ensuring that the collection media do not contaminate each other, particularly as one pollutant may act, either by itself or in concert with other chemicals, as the collection medium for a second pollutant. 
         [0040]    Finally, and most generally a given pollutant may be collected by a number of different collection media and therefore, the order of the collection media may depend on the choices of media used to collect the pollutants. The sequential order of the collection media may be of critical importance, depending on the particular group of pollutants for which sampling is to occur. Most air pollutant collection media are coated with chemicals. For example, say ozone, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide are to be sampled. If the ozone collection medium (OCM) is chosen to be coated with nitrite and sodium carbonate (Koutrakis et al. 1993), the sulphur dioxide collection medium (SCM) is chosen to be coated with carbonate and the hydrogen sulfide collection medium (HSCM) is chosen to be coated with silver nitrate and nitric acid, then the SCM and the HSCM may not be placed downstream of the OCM because the sodium carbonate in the OCM will react with (scrub out) SO 2  and H 2 S before they reach their collection media ( FIGS. 3-5 ). 
         [0041]    In use of MGPS, according to the invention, care must be taken to avoid cross-contamination of media. The nitrogen dioxide collection media (NCM) react with NO 2  and generate nitrite. Because the OCM are coated with nitrite, the NCM and OCM cannot contact each other. In order to avoid contamination, the NCM should not be installed near the OCM ( FIG. 4 ). Nitric acid in the HSCM can react with basic compounds. Therefore any collection substrate coated with basic compound such as SCM, NCM, and OCM etc. must avoid contact with the HSCM. 
         [0042]    Tables 1 and 2 compare the relative amounts of inputs used for NPS and MGPS by using passive samplers and rain-shelters designed by Tang et al (1997) and collecting in triplicate. Table 1 compares the savings for four pollutants (SO 2 , NO 2 , H 2 S, and O 3 ) and Table 2 compares the savings for two pollutants (SO 2  and H 2 S). 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Comparison of four air pollutants collected 
               
               
                 in triplicate by NPS and MGPS 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 No. for 
                 No. for 
                 No. 
                   
               
               
                 ITEM 
                 NPS 
                 MGPS 
                 Saved 
                 % Saved 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Rain shelter 
                 4 
                 1 
                 3 
                 75 
               
               
                 Passive body 
                 12 
                 3 
                 9 
                 75 
               
               
                 Diffusion Barrier 
                 12 
                 3 
                 9 
                 75 
               
               
                 Collection filter 
                 12 
                 3 
                 9 
                 75 
               
               
                 Chemicals* 
                 12 
                 3 
                 9 
                 75 
               
               
                 Waste generated** 
                 12 
                 3 
                 9 
                 75 
               
               
                 Field installation 
                 12 
                 3 
                 9 
                 75 
               
               
                 Average 
                   
                   
                   
                 75 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 *1 unit of chemicals equals the total amount of chemicals used per collection medium. As the number of units of chemicals used is perfectly correlated to the number of filters used, 12 units of chemical are used for NPS; only 3 are used for MGPS. 
               
               
                 **1 unit of waste generated equals the total extraction volume used per collection medium. As the number of units of waste generated is perfectly correlated to the extraction volumes used per filter, multiplied by the number of filters used, 12 units of waste are generated by NPS; but only 3 units are generated in MGPS. 
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Comparison of two air pollutants collected 
               
               
                 in triplicate by NPS and MGPS 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 No. for 
                 No. for 
                 No. 
                   
               
               
                 ITEM 
                 NPS 
                 MGPS 
                 Saved 
                 % Saved 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Rain shelter 
                 2 
                 1 
                 1 
                 50 
               
               
                 Passive body 
                 6 
                 3 
                 3 
                 50 
               
               
                 Diffusion Barrier 
                 6 
                 3 
                 3 
                 50 
               
               
                 Collection filter 
                 6 
                 3 
                 3 
                 50 
               
               
                 Chemicals * 
                 6 
                 3 
                 3 
                 50 
               
               
                 Waste generated ** 
                 6 
                 3 
                 3 
                 50 
               
               
                 Field installation 
                 6 
                 3 
                 3 
                 50 
               
               
                 Average 
                   
                   
                   
                 50 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 * &amp; ** See table 1 
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0043]    In addition to material savings, labor savings also flow in MGPS in terms of manufacture, field installation and change-out, labeling and handling. As well, infrastructure materials, i.e. rain shelters, supporting structures, etc. are also economized through MGPS. 
         [0044]    Generally, the passive air sampling rates in the MGPS can be derived following the procedures published by Tang et al (1997, 1999, 2000, and 2002). Tables 3 and 4 list field studies by using NPS and MGPS for two air pollutants (SO 2  and H 2 S) and four air pollutants (SO 2 , NO 2 , O 3  and H 2 S) separately. It can be found that the pollution concentrations obtained by both NPS and MGPS were very close. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Concentrations comparison obtained 
               
               
                 by NPS and MGPS for SO 2  and H 2 S 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Parameter 
                 NPS ppb 
                 MGPS ppb 
                 Error % * 
                 Notes 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 SO 2   
                 4.0 
                 3.9 
                 2.5 
                   
               
               
                   
                 H2 2   
                 0.45 
                 0.49 
                 9 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 * The number is obtained as following: (ppb NPS − ppb MGPS)*100/ppb NPS 
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 4 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Concentrations comparison obtained by 
               
               
                 NPS and MGPS for SO2, NO2, O3 and H2S 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Parameter 
                 NPS ppb 
                 MGPS ppb 
                 Error % * 
                 Notes 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 SO 2   
                 4.0 
                 3.7 
                 8 
                   
               
               
                   
                 H 2 S 
                 0.45 
                 0.44 
                 2 
               
               
                   
                 NO 2   
                 17.1 
                 16.7 
                 2 
               
               
                   
                 O 3   
                 50.2 
                 48.3 
                 4 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 * The number is obtained as following: (ppb NPS − ppb MGPS)*100/ppb NPS 
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0045]    Although the invention has been illustrated and described herein with respect to particular preferred embodiments, it will be understood that other equivalent structures and materials could be used to embody applicant&#39;s inventive concept of providing a passive sampler with a plurality of sampling media for the simultaneous collection of a number of different air pollutants. Accordingly, the invention to be protected is intended to be defined by the literal language of the claims and the equivalent thereof.