NEAR-REAL-TIME MEASUREMENT OF TRACE VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM COMBUSTION PROCESSES USING AN ON-LINE GAS CHROMATOGRAPH

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA's current regulatory approach for combustion and incineration sources emphasizes the use of real-time continuous emission monitors (CEMs) for particulate, Metals, and volatile, semivolatile, and of nonvolatile organic compounds to monitor source emissions. Currently...

Field guide for collecting samples for analysis of volatile organic compounds in stream water for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shelton, Larry R.

1997-01-01

For many years, stream samples for analysis of volatile organic compounds have been collected without specific guidelines or a sampler designed to avoid analyte loss. In 1996, the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program began aggressively monitoring urban stream-water for volatile organic compounds. To assure representative samples and consistency in collection procedures, a specific sampler was designed to collect samples for analysis of volatile organic compounds in stream water. This sampler, and the collection procedures, were tested in the laboratory and in the field for compound loss, contamination, sample reproducibility, and functional capabilities. This report describes that sampler and its use, and outlines field procedures specifically designed to provide contaminant-free, reproducible volatile organic compound data from stream-water samples. These guidelines and the equipment described represent a significant change in U.S. Geological Survey instructions for collecting and processing stream-water samples for analysis of volatile organic compounds. They are intended to produce data that are both defensible and interpretable, particularly for concentrations below the microgram-per-liter level. The guidelines also contain detailed recommendations for quality-control samples.

A volatile organics concentrator for use in monitoring Space Station water quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ehntholt, Daniel J.; Bodek, Itamar; Valentine, James R.; Trabanino, Rudy; Vincze, Johanna E.; Sauer, Richard L.

1990-01-01

The process used to identify, select, and design an approach to the isolation and concentration of volatile organic compounds from a water sample prior to chemical analysis in a microgravity environment is discerned. The trade analysis leading to the recommended volatile organics concentrator (VOC) concept to be tested in a breadboard device is presented. The system covers the areas of gases, volatile separation from water, and water removal/gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer interface. Five options for potential use in the VOC and GC/MS system are identified and ranked, and also nine options are presented for separation of volatiles from the water phase. Seven options for use in the water removal/GC column and MS interface are also identified and included in the overall considerations. A final overall recommendation for breadboard VOC testing is given.

Analysis of volatile organic compounds from illicit cocaine samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robins, W. H.; Wright, Bob W.

1994-10-01

Detection of illicit cocaine hydrochloride shipments can be improved if there is a greater understanding of the identity and quantity of volatile compounds present. This study provides preliminary data concerning the volatile organic compounds detected in a limited set of cocaine hydrochloride samples. In all cases, cocaine was one of the major volatile compounds detected. Other tropeines were detected in almost all samples. Low concentrations of compounds which may be residues of processing solvents were observed in some samples. The equilibrium emissivity of cocaine from cocaine hydrochloride was investigated and a value of 83 parts-per-trillion was determined.

Comparison of different procedures to stabilize biogas formation after process failure in a thermophilic waste digestion system: Influence of aggregate formation on process stability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kleyboecker, A.; Liebrich, M.; Kasina, M.

2012-06-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mechanism of process recovery with calcium oxide. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Formation of insoluble calcium salts with long chain fatty acids and phosphate. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Adsorption of VFAs by the precipitates resulting in the formation of aggregates. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Acid uptake and phosphate release by the phosphate-accumulating organisms. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Microbial degradation of volatile fatty acids in the aggregates. - Abstract: Following a process failure in a full-scale biogas reactor, different counter measures were undertaken to stabilize the process of biogas formation, including the reduction of the organic loading rate, the addition of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and the introduction of calcium oxide (CaO). Correspondingmore » to the results of the process recovery in the full-scale digester, laboratory experiments showed that CaO was more capable of stabilizing the process than NaOH. While both additives were able to raise the pH to a neutral milieu (pH > 7.0), the formation of aggregates was observed particularly when CaO was used as the additive. Scanning electron microscopy investigations revealed calcium phosphate compounds in the core of the aggregates. Phosphate seemed to be released by phosphorus-accumulating organisms, when volatile fatty acids accumulated. The calcium, which was charged by the CaO addition, formed insoluble salts with long chain fatty acids, and caused the precipitation of calcium phosphate compounds. These aggregates were surrounded by a white layer of carbon rich organic matter, probably consisting of volatile fatty acids. Thus, during the process recovery with CaO, the decrease in the amount of accumulated acids in the liquid phase was likely enabled by (1) the formation of insoluble calcium salts with long chain fatty acids, (2) the adsorption of volatile fatty acids by the precipitates, (3) the acid uptake by phosphorus-accumulating organisms and (4) the degradation of volatile fatty acids in the aggregates. Furthermore, this mechanism enabled a stable process performance after re-activation of biogas production. In contrast, during the counter measure with NaOH aggregate formation was only minor resulting in a rapid process failure subsequent the increase of the organic loading rate.« less

Volatility dependence of Henry's law constants of condensable organics: Application to estimate depositional loss of secondary organic aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodzic, A.; Aumont, B.; Knote, C.; Lee-Taylor, J.; Madronich, S.; Tyndall, G.

2014-07-01

The water solubility of oxidation intermediates of volatile organic compounds that can condense to form secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is largely unconstrained in current chemistry-climate models. We apply the Generator of Explicit Chemistry and Kinetics of Organics in the Atmosphere to calculate Henry's law constants for these intermediate species. Results show a strong negative correlation between Henry's law constants and saturation vapor pressures. Details depend on precursor species, extent of photochemical processing, and NOx levels. Henry's law constants as a function of volatility are made available over a wide range of vapor pressures for use in 3-D models. In an application using the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) over the U.S. in summer, we find that dry (and wet) deposition of condensable organic vapors leads to major reductions in SOA, decreasing surface concentrations by ~50% (10%) for biogenic and ~40% (6%) for short chain anthropogenic precursors under the considered volatility conditions.

Regulation of the Rhythmic Emission of Plant Volatiles by the Circadian Clock.

PubMed

Zeng, Lanting; Wang, Xiaoqin; Kang, Ming; Dong, Fang; Yang, Ziyin

2017-11-13

Like other organisms, plants have endogenous biological clocks that enable them to organize their metabolic, physiological, and developmental processes. The representative biological clock is the circadian system that regulates daily (24-h) rhythms. Circadian-regulated changes in growth have been observed in numerous plants. Evidence from many recent studies indicates that the circadian clock regulates a multitude of factors that affect plant metabolites, especially emitted volatiles that have important ecological functions. Here, we review recent progress in research on plant volatiles showing rhythmic emission under the regulation of the circadian clock, and on how the circadian clock controls the rhythmic emission of plant volatiles. We also discuss the potential impact of other factors on the circadian rhythmic emission of plant volatiles.

Separation process using pervaporation and dephlegmation

DOEpatents

Vane, Leland M.; Mairal, Anurag P.; Ng, Alvin; Alvarez, Franklin R.; Baker, Richard W.

2004-06-29

A process for treating liquids containing organic compounds and water. The process includes a pervaporation step in conjunction with a dephlegmation step to treat at least a portion of the permeate vapor from the pervaporation step. The process yields a membrane residue stream, a stream enriched in the more volatile component (usually the organic) as the overhead stream from the dephlegmator and a condensate stream enriched in the less volatile component (usually the water) as a bottoms stream from the dephlegmator. Any of these may be the principal product of the process. The membrane separation step may also be performed in the vapor phase, or by membrane distillation.

VOLATILIZATION OF ALKYLBENZENES FROM WATER.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rathbun, R.E.; Tai, D.Y.

1985-01-01

Volatilization is a physical process of importance in determining the fate of many organic compounds in streams and rivers. This process is frequently described by the conceptual-two-film model. The model assumes uniformly mixed water and air phases separated by thin films of water and air in which mass transfer is by molecular diffusion. Mass-transfer coefficients for the water and air films are related to an overall mass-transfer coefficient for volatilization through the Henry's law constant.

Thermal engine driven heat pump for recovery of volatile organic compounds

DOEpatents

Drake, Richard L.

1991-01-01

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for separating volatile organic compounds from a stream of process gas. An internal combustion engine drives a plurality of refrigeration systems, an electrical generator and an air compressor. The exhaust of the internal combustion engine drives an inert gas subsystem and a heater for the gas. A water jacket captures waste heat from the internal combustion engine and drives a second heater for the gas and possibly an additional refrigeration system for the supply of chilled water. The refrigeration systems mechanically driven by the internal combustion engine effect the precipitation of volatile organic compounds from the stream of gas.

Scalable printed electronics: an organic decoder addressing ferroelectric non-volatile memory.

PubMed

Ng, Tse Nga; Schwartz, David E; Lavery, Leah L; Whiting, Gregory L; Russo, Beverly; Krusor, Brent; Veres, Janos; Bröms, Per; Herlogsson, Lars; Alam, Naveed; Hagel, Olle; Nilsson, Jakob; Karlsson, Christer

2012-01-01

Scalable circuits of organic logic and memory are realized using all-additive printing processes. A 3-bit organic complementary decoder is fabricated and used to read and write non-volatile, rewritable ferroelectric memory. The decoder-memory array is patterned by inkjet and gravure printing on flexible plastics. Simulation models for the organic transistors are developed, enabling circuit designs tolerant of the variations in printed devices. We explain the key design rules in fabrication of complex printed circuits and elucidate the performance requirements of materials and devices for reliable organic digital logic.

OPTIMIZED DETERMINATION OF TRACE JET FUEL VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN HUMAN BLOOD USING IN-FIELD LIQUID-LIQUID EXTRACTION WITH SUBSEQUENT LABORATORY GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC-MASS SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS AND ON-COLUMN LARGE VOLUME INJECTION

EPA Science Inventory

A practical and sensitive method to assess volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from JP-8 jet fuel in human whole blood was developed by modifying previously established liquid-liquid extraction procedures, optimizing extraction times, solvent volume, specific sample processing te...

HS-SPME analysis of volatile organic compounds of coniferous needle litter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isidorov, V. A.; Vinogorova, V. T.; Rafałowski, K.

The composition of volatile emission of Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris) and spruce ( Picea exelsa) litter was studied by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and samples were collected by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method. The list of identified compounds includes over 60 organic substances of different classes. It was established that volatile emission contain not only components of essential oils of pine and spruce needles but also a large number of organic compounds which are probably secondary metabolites of litter-decomposing fungi. They include lower carbonyl compounds and alcohols as well as products of terpene dehydration and oxidation. These data show that the processes of litter decomposition are an important source of reactive organic compounds under canopy of coniferous forests.

The Origin of Organic Matter in the Solar System: Evidence from Interplanetary Dust Particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flynn, G. J.; Keller, L. P.; Jacobsen, C.; Wirick, S.

2001-01-01

The origin of the organic matter in interplanetary materials has not been established. A variety of mechanisms have been proposed, with two extreme cases being a Fisher-Tropsch type process operating in the gas phase of the solar nebula or a Miller-Urey type process, which requires interaction with an aqueous fluid, presumably occurring on an asteroid. In the Fisher-Tropsch case, we might expect similar organic matter in hydrated and anhydrous interplanetary materials. However, aqueous alteration is required in the case of the Miller-Urey process, and we would expect to see organic matter preferentially in interplanetary materials that exhibit evidence of aqueous activity, such as the presence of hydrated silicates. The types and abundance of organic matter in meteorites have been used as an indicator of the origin of organic matter in the Solar System. Indigenous complex organic matter, including amino acids, has been found in hydrated carbonaceous chondrite meteorites, such as Murchison. Much lower amounts of complex organic matter, possibly only terrestrial contamination, have been found in anhydrous carbonaceous chondrite meteorites, such as Allende, that contain most of their carbon in elemental form. These results seem to favor production of the bulk of the organic matter in the Solar System by aqueous processing on parent bodies such as asteroids, a Miller-Urey process. However, the hydrated carbonaceous chondrite meteorites have approximately solar abundances of the moderately volatile elements, while all anhydrous carbonaceous chondrite meteorites have significantly lower contents of these moderately volatile elements. Two mechanisms, incomplete condensation or evaporation, both of which involve processing at approx. 1200 C, have been suggested to explain the lower content of the moderately volatile elements in all anhydrous meteorites. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

The Self-Reducing Pellet Production from Organic Household Waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nogueira, Alberto; Takano, Cyro; Mourão, Marcelo; Pillihuaman, Adolfo

The organic household waste has a growing disposal problem, requiring costly disposal systems. It is necessary to find new applications for these materials; one could be the steelmaking raw material production. In this paper is studied the development of self-reducing pellets from the organic waste pyrolysis, where is generated carbon and condensable and non-condensable volatiles. Non-condensable volatiles were burned and condensable volatiles were recovered. The resulting tar was mixed with iron ore, coal powder and flux (CaO), to then be pelletized together. Compression, falls and tumbler tests were conducted to characterize the pellets before and after heat treatment and reduction processes. The reduction curve and their physical and morphological characterization were measured. The results were as was expected, the fluidized coal create sufficient adhesion that pellets earned resistance with an equivalent resistance of common pellets, showing a good feasibility of this process.

Transport, behavior, and fate of volatile organic compounds in streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rathbun, R.E.

1998-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are compounds with chemical and physical properties that allow the compounds to move freely between the water and air phases of the environment. VOCs are widespread in the environment because of this mobility. Many VOCs have properties making them suspected or known hazards to the health of humans and aquatic organisms. Consequently, understanding the processes affecting the concentration and distribution VOCs in the environment is necessary. The U.S. Geological Survey selected 55 VOCs for study. This report reviews the characteristics of the various process that could affect the transport, behavior, and fate of these VOCs in streams.

Scalable printed electronics: an organic decoder addressing ferroelectric non-volatile memory

PubMed Central

Ng, Tse Nga; Schwartz, David E.; Lavery, Leah L.; Whiting, Gregory L.; Russo, Beverly; Krusor, Brent; Veres, Janos; Bröms, Per; Herlogsson, Lars; Alam, Naveed; Hagel, Olle; Nilsson, Jakob; Karlsson, Christer

2012-01-01

Scalable circuits of organic logic and memory are realized using all-additive printing processes. A 3-bit organic complementary decoder is fabricated and used to read and write non-volatile, rewritable ferroelectric memory. The decoder-memory array is patterned by inkjet and gravure printing on flexible plastics. Simulation models for the organic transistors are developed, enabling circuit designs tolerant of the variations in printed devices. We explain the key design rules in fabrication of complex printed circuits and elucidate the performance requirements of materials and devices for reliable organic digital logic. PMID:22900143

Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds in a Controlled Environment: Ethylene Gas Measurement Studies on Radish

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kong, Suk Bin

2001-01-01

Volatile organic compound(VOC), ethylene gas, was characterized and quantified by GC/FID. 20-50 ppb levels were detected during the growth stages of radish. SPME could be a good analytical tool for the purpose. Low temperature trapping method using dry ice/diethyl ether and liquid nitrogen bath was recommended for the sampling process for GC/PID and GC/MS analysis.

Quantifying the effect of organic aerosol aging and intermediate-volatility emissions on regional-scale aerosol pollution in China

PubMed Central

Zhao, Bin; Wang, Shuxiao; Donahue, Neil M.; Jathar, Shantanu H.; Huang, Xiaofeng; Wu, Wenjing; Hao, Jiming; Robinson, Allen L.

2016-01-01

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is one of the least understood constituents of fine particles; current widely-used models cannot predict its loadings or oxidation state. Recent laboratory experiments demonstrated the importance of several new processes, including aging of SOA from traditional precursors, aging of primary organic aerosol (POA), and photo-oxidation of intermediate volatility organic compounds (IVOCs). However, evaluating the effect of these processes in the real atmosphere is challenging. Most models used in previous studies are over-simplified and some key reaction trajectories are not captured, and model parameters are usually phenomenological and lack experimental constraints. Here we comprehensively assess the effect of organic aerosol (OA) aging and intermediate-volatility emissions on regional-scale OA pollution with a state-of-the-art model framework and experimentally constrained parameters. We find that OA aging and intermediate-volatility emissions together increase OA and SOA concentrations in Eastern China by about 40% and a factor of 10, respectively, thereby improving model-measurement agreement significantly. POA and IVOCs both constitute over 40% of OA concentrations, and IVOCs constitute over half of SOA concentrations; this differs significantly from previous apportionment of SOA sources. This study facilitates an improved estimate of aerosol-induced climate and health impacts, and implies a shift from current fine-particle control policies. PMID:27350423

40 CFR 60.702 - Standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Reactor Processes § 60.702 Standards. Each owner...

40 CFR 60.702 - Standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Reactor Processes § 60.702 Standards. Each owner...

40 CFR 60.706 - Reconstruction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Reactor Processes § 60.706 Reconstruction. (a) For...

40 CFR 60.706 - Reconstruction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Reactor Processes § 60.706 Reconstruction. (a) For...

40 CFR 60.708 - Delegation of authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Reactor Processes § 60.708...

40 CFR 60.708 - Delegation of authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Reactor Processes § 60.708...

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY BULLETIN: PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENT OF VOLATILE ORGANIC CARBON AND HEAVY-METAL- CONTAMINATED SOIL - INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

EPA Science Inventory

The batch steam distillation and metal extraction treatment process is a two-stage system that treats soils contaminated with organics and inorganics. This system uses conventional, readily available process equipment, and does not produce hazardous combustion products. Hazar...

The electronic nose as a rapid sensor for volatile compounds in treated domestic wastewater.

PubMed

Dewettinck, T; Van Hege, K; Verstraete, W

2001-07-01

An electronic nose consisting of 12 metal oxide sensors was used to monitor volatile compounds in effluent of a domestic wastewater treatment plant. Effluent and reference (deionized water) samples were heated to 60 and 90 degrees C to promote the volatilization and to increase the sensitivity. An effluent measuring campaign of 12 weeks was conducted and the repeatability and reproducibility of the procedure and the apparatus were determined. Processing the obtained fingerprints with principal component analysis (PCA) allowed interpretation and differentiation of the samples in terms of origin and quality, relative to the reference. To minimize the variance due to sensitivity fluctuations of the apparatus and to detect effluents with deviating qualities, two new concepts were defined, i.e. the relative sensorial odour perception (in short: rSOP) and the relative fingerprint. Correlations between the relative overall electronic nose output, expressed as rSOP, and selected routine parameters were weak except for the parameter "volatile suspended solids" (VSS), indicating adsorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) onto the organic particles. The results clearly demonstrate the possibility to use the electronic nose as a rapid alarm generator towards volatile compounds, e.g. in specific advanced treatment processes to produce reclaimed water from effluent of the domestic wastewater treatment plant under scrutiny.

Evaluation of the correlation between concentration of volatile organic compounds and temperature of the exhaust gases in motor vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skrętowicz, Maria; Wróbel, Radosław; Andrych-Zalewska, Monika

2017-11-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the group of organic compounds which are one of the most important air pollutants. One of the main sources of VOCs are combustion processes including fuel combustion is internal combustion engines. Volatile organic compounds are very dangerous pollution, because even in very low concentrations they have significant harmful effect on human health. A lot of that compounds are mutagenic and carcinogenic, in addition they could cause asthma, intoxication or allergy. The measurements of VOCs are quite problematic, because it is required using the specialist analytical apparatus, ex. chromatograph. However, not always it is need to measure the content of that compounds in engine exhaust with high precision and sometimes it is enough only to estimate the level of the concentration. Emission of the VOCs mainly depends on the combustion process in the engine and this determines the temperature of the exhaust gases. In this paper authors tried to determine if the correlation between temperature of exhaust gases and VOCs' concentration exist and is able to determine.

ENVIROMETAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC., METAL-ENHANCED DECHLORINATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS USING AN IN-SITU REACTIVE IRON WALL

EPA Science Inventory

This report summarizes the results of a field demonstration conducted under the SITE program. The technology that was demonstrated was a metal-enhanced dechlorination process developed by EnviroMetal Technologies, Inc. to treat groundwater contaminated with chlorinated volatile ...

Oxidation-reduction catalyst and its process of use

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schryer, Jacqueline L. (Inventor); Oglesby, Donald M. (Inventor); Jordan, Jeffrey D. (Inventor); Watkins, Anthony Neal (Inventor)

2008-01-01

This invention relates generally to a ruthenium stabilized oxidation-reduction catalyst useful for oxidizing carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds, and reducing nitrogen oxide species in oxidizing environments, substantially without the formation of toxic and volatile ruthenium oxide species upon said oxidizing environment being at high temperatures.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldstein, A. H.; Yee, L. D.; Issacman-VanWertz, G.

In areas where biogenic emissions are oxidized in the presence of anthropogenic pollutants such as SO2, NOx, and black carbon, it has become increasingly apparent that secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is substantially enhanced. Research is urgently needed to elucidate fundamental processes of natural and anthropogenically influenced VOC oxidation and the contribution of these processes to SOA formation. GoAmazon 2014/15 afforded study of the chemical transformations in the region downwind of Manaus, Brazil, where local biogenic VOC emissions are high, and their chemical oxidation can be studied both inside and outside of the urbanmore » plume to differentiate the role of anthropogenic influence on secondary aerosol formation during oxidation of these natural VOC emissions. To understand the connection between primary biogenic VOC emissions and their secondary products that form aerosols, we made time-resolved molecular level measurements by deploying a Semi-Volatile Thermal Desorption Aerosol Gas Chromatograph (SV-TAG) and a sequential filter sampler during two intensive operational periods (IOPs) of the GoAmazon 2014/15 field campaign. The SV-TAG measured semi-volatile organic compounds in both the gas and particle phases and the sequential filter sampler collected aerosols on quartz fiber filters in four-hour increments used for offline analysis. SV-TAG employed novel online derivatization that provided chemical speciation of highly oxygenated or functionalized compounds that comprise a substantial fraction of secondary organic aerosols, yet are poorly characterized. It also provided partitioning of these compounds between the vapor and particle phases at sufficient time resolution to define the importance of competing atmospheric processes. These measurements were supported by offline analysis of the filters using two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) with high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HR-TOF-MS) using both electron impact (EI) and soft vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) ionization with derivatization. Speciated chemical data from SV-TAG and filter measurements were used to elucidate the relative importance of potential oxidation pathways by providing detailed information on the product distribution from atmospheric reactions and the quantification of known tracers for various oxidation pathways. Together, these techniques provided unequivocal molecular identification of a wide range of atmospheric organic compounds spanning the volatile, semi-volatile, and non-volatile phases. This level of chemical characterization provided insight into the chemical and physical processes that control the atmospheric oxidation of biogenic VOC and subsequent formation of SOA.« less

Secondary organic aerosol formation through cloud processing of aromatic VOCs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herckes, P.; Hutchings, J. W.; Ervens, B.

2010-12-01

Field observations have shown substantial concentrations (20-5,500 ng L-1) of aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOC) in cloud droplets. The potential generation of secondary organic aerosol mass through the processing of these anthropogenic VOCs was investigated through laboratory and modeling studies. Under simulated atmospheric laboratory conditions, in idealized solutions, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) degraded quickly in the aqueous phase. The degradation process yielded less volatile products which would contribute to new aerosol mass upon cloud evaporation. However, when realistic cloud solutions containing natural organic matter were used in the experiments, the reaction rates decreased with increasing organic carbon content. Kinetic data derived from these experiments were used as input to a multiphase box model in order to evaluate the secondary organic aerosol (SOA) mass formation potential of cloud processing of BTEX. Model results will be presented that quantify the SOA amounts from these aqueous phase pathways. The efficiency of this multiphase SOA source will be compared to SOA yields from the same aromatics as treated in traditional SOA models that are restricted to gas phase oxidation and subsequent condensation on particles.

NATURAL EMISSIONS OF NON-METHANE VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS, CARBON MONOXIDE, AND OXIDES OF NITROGEN FROM NORTH AMERICA. (R825259)

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract

The magnitudes, distributions, controlling processes and uncertainties associated with North American natural emissions of oxidant precursors are reviewed. Natural emissions are responsible for a major portion of the compounds, including non-methane volatile o...

A Monte-Carlo Analysis of Organic Volatility with Aerosol Microphysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Chloe; Tsigaridis, Kostas; Bauer, Susanne E.

2017-04-01

A newly developed box model, MATRIX-VBS, includes the volatility-basis set (VBS) framework in an aerosol microphysical scheme MATRIX (Multiconfiguration Aerosol TRacker of mIXing state), which resolves aerosol mass and number concentrations and aerosol mixing state. The new scheme advanced the representation of organic aerosols in models by improving the traditional and simplistic treatment of organic aerosols as non-volatile and with a fixed size distribution. Further development includes adding the condensation of organics on coarse mode aerosols - dust and sea salt, thus making all organics in the system semi-volatile. To test and simplify the model, a Monte-Carlo analysis is performed to pin point which processes affect organics the most under varied chemical and meteorological conditions. Since the model's parameterizations have the ability to capture a very wide range of conditions, all possible scenarios on Earth across the whole parameter space, including temperature, humidity, location, emissions and oxidant levels, are examined. The Monte-Carlo simulations provide quantitative information on the sensitivity of the newly developed model and help us understand how organics are affecting the size distribution, mixing state and volatility distribution at varying levels of meteorological conditions and pollution levels. In addition, these simulations give information on which parameters play a critical role in the aerosol distribution and evolution in the atmosphere and which do not, that will facilitate the simplification of the box model, an important step in its implementation in the global model GISS ModelE as a module.

Photochemical Aging of Organic Aerosols: A Laboratory Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papanastasiou, Dimitrios K.; Kostenidou, Evangelia; Gkatzelis, Georgios I.; Psichoudaki, Magdalini; Louvaris, Evangelos; Pandis, Spyros N.

2014-05-01

Organic aerosols (OA) are either emitted directly (primary OA) or formed (secondary OA) in the atmosphere and consist of an extremely complex mixture of thousands of organic compounds. Although the scientific community has put significant effort, in the past few decades, to understand organic aerosol (OA) formation, evolution and fate in the atmosphere, traditional models often fail to reproduce the ambient OA levels. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed, in traditional laboratory chamber experiments, from the gas phase oxidation of known precursors, such as α-pinene, is semi-volatile and with an O:C ratio of around 0.4. In contrast, OA found in the atmosphere is significantly less volatile, while the O:C ratio often ranges from 0.5 to 1. In conclusion, there is a significant gap of knowledge in our understanding of OA formation and photochemical transformation in the atmosphere. There is increased evidence that homogeneous gas phase aging by OH radicals might be able to explain, at least in part, the significantly higher OA mass loadings observed and also the oxidation state and volatility of OA in the atmosphere. In this study, laboratory chamber experiments were performed to study the role of the continued oxidation of first generation volatile and semi-volatile species by OH radicals in the evolution of the SOA characteristics (mass concentration, volatility, and oxidation state). Ambient air mixtures or freshly formed SOA from α-pinene ozonolysis were used as the source of organic aerosols and semi-volatile species. The initial mixture of organic aerosols and gas phase species (volatile and semi-volatile) was then exposed to atmospheric concentrations of OH radicals to study the aging of aerosols. Experiments were performed with various OH radical sources (H2O2 or HONO) and under various NOx conditions. A suite of instruments was employed to characterize both the gas and the aerosol phase. A Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) and a High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) were used to measure the organic aerosol mass production and oxidation degree (O:C ratio) following OH aging. A thermodenuder system was used to measure the volatility distribution change as organic aerosol aged upon continuous oxidation. Organic gas phase species were characterized with a Proton Transfer Reaction - Mass Spectrometer (PTR-MS) while NOx and O3 were measured with the use of corresponding analyzers. Results from this study show that organic mass production occurs upon exposure to OH radicals indicating that continuous OH aging of semi-volatile is probably responsible for at least some of the gap between observed and modeled OA levels in the atmosphere. Additionally, this chemical aging process leads to a decrease in volatility and an increase in O:C ratio while the level of change in both properties depends on OH exposure. The atmospheric implications of this study are discussed.

Novel bioevaporation process for the zero-discharge treatment of highly concentrated organic wastewater.

PubMed

Yang, Benqin; Zhang, Lei; Lee, Yongwoo; Jahng, Deokjin

2013-10-01

A novel process termed as bioevaporation was established to completely evaporate wastewater by metabolic heat released from the aerobic microbial degradation of the organic matters contained in the highly concentrated organic wastewater itself. By adding the glucose solution and ground food waste (FW) into the biodried sludge bed, the activity of the microorganisms in the biodried sludge was stimulated and the water in the glucose solution and FW was evaporated. As the biodegradable volatile solids (BVS) concentration in wastewater increased, more heat was produced and the water removal ratio increased. When the volatile solids (VS) concentrations of both glucose and ground FW were 120 g L(-1), 101.7% and 104.3% of the added water was removed, respectively, by completely consuming the glucose and FW BVS. Therefore, the complete removal of water and biodegradable organic contents was achieved simultaneously in the bioevaporation process, which accomplished zero-discharge treatment of highly concentrated organic wastewater. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Volatile Halogenated Organic Compounds Released to Seawater from Temperate Marine Macroalgae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gschwend, Philip M.; Macfarlane, John K.; Newman, Kathleen A.

1985-03-01

Volatile halogenated organic compounds synthesized by various industrial processes are troublesome pollutants because they are persistent in terrestrial ecosystems and because they may be present in sufficient quantities to alter the natural atmospheric cycles of the halogens. Certain of these compounds, including polybromomethanes and several previously unobserved alkyl monohalides and dihalides, appear to be natural products of the marine environment. A variety of temperate marine macroalgae (the brown algae Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosis, the green algae Enteromorpha linza and Ulva lacta, and the red alga Gigartina stellata) not only contain volatile halogenated organic compounds but also release them to seawater at rates of nanograms to micrograms of each compound per gram of dry algae per day. The macroalgae may be an important source of bromine-containing material released to the atmosphere.

A microfluidic device for open loop stripping of volatile organic compounds.

PubMed

Cvetković, Benjamin Z; Dittrich, Petra S

2013-03-01

The detection of volatile organic compounds is of great importance for assessing the quality of water. In this contribution, we describe a miniaturized stripping device that allows fast online detection of organic solvents in water. The core component is a glass microfluidic chip that facilitates the creation of an annular-flowing stream of water and nitrogen gas. Volatile compounds are transferred efficiently from the water into the gas phase along the microfluidic pathway at room temperature within less than 5 s. Before exiting the microchip, the liquid phase is separated from the enriched gas phase by incorporating side capillaries through which the hydrophilic water phase is withdrawn. The gas phase is conveniently collected at the outlet reservoir by tubing. Finally, a semiconductor gas sensor analyzes the concentration of (volatile) organic compounds in the nitrogen gas. The operation and use of the stripping device is demonstrated for the organic solvents THF, 1-propanol, toluene, ethylbenzene, benzaldehyde, and methanol. The mobile, inexpensive, and continuously operating system with liquid flow rates in the low range of microliters per minute can be connected to other detectors or implemented in chemical production line for process control.

Effect of a cationic surfactant on the volatilization of PAHs from soil.

PubMed

Lu, Li; Zhu, Lizhong

2012-06-01

Cationic surfactants are common in soils because of their use in daily cosmetic and cleaning products, and their use as a soil amendment for the mitigation and remediation of organic contaminated soils has been proposed. Such surfactant may affect the transfer and fate of organic contaminants in the environment. This study investigated the effect of a cationic surfactant, dodecylpyridinium bromide (DDPB), on the volatilization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from a paddy soil. The volatilization of PAHs from moist soil amended with different concentrations of DDPB was tested in an open system. The specific effects of DDPB on the liquid-vapor and solid-vapor equilibriums of PAHs were separately investigated in closed systems by headspace analysis. DDPB affects both liquid-vapor and solid-vapor processes of PAHs in soil. At DDPB concentrations below the critical micelle concentration (CMC), movement of PAHs from the bulk solution to the gas-liquid interface appeared to be facilitated by interaction between PAHs and the surfactant monomers adsorbed at the gas-liquid interface, promoting the volatilization of PAHs from solution. However, when DDPB was greater than the CMC, volatilization was inhibited due to the solubilization of PAHs by micelles. On the other hand, the formation of sorbed surfactant significantly inhibited the solid-vapor volatilization of PAHs. The overall effect of the two simultaneous effects of DDPB on liquid-vapor and solid-vapor processes was a decreased volatilization loss of PAHs from soil. Inhibition of PAH volatilization was more significant for the soil with a lower moisture content.

User’s guide to the collection and analysis of tree cores to assess the distribution of subsurface volatile organic compounds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vroblesky, Don A.

2008-01-01

Analysis of the volatile organic compound content of tree cores is an inexpensive, rapid, simple approach to examining the distribution of subsurface volatile organic compound contaminants. The method has been shown to detect several volatile petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated aliphatic compounds associated with vapor intrusion and ground-water contamination. Tree cores, which are approximately 3 inches long, are obtained by using an increment borer. The cores are placed in vials and sealed. After a period of equilibration, the cores can be analyzed by headspace analysis gas chromatography. Because the roots are exposed to volatile organic compound contamination in the unsaturated zone or shallow ground water, the volatile organic compound concentrations in the tree cores are an indication of the presence of subsurface volatile organic compound contamination. Thus, tree coring can be used to detect and map subsurface volatile organic compound contamination. For comparison of tree-core data at a particular site, it is important to maintain consistent methods for all aspects of tree-core collection, handling, and analysis. Factors affecting the volatile organic compound concentrations in tree cores include the type of volatile organic compound, the tree species, the rooting depth, ground-water chemistry, the depth to the contaminated horizon, concentration differences around the trunk related to variations in the distribution of subsurface volatile organic compounds, concentration differences with depth of coring related to volatilization loss through the bark and possibly other unknown factors, dilution by rain, seasonal influences, sorption, vapor-exchange rates, and within-tree volatile organic compound degradation.

40 CFR 60.661 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Distillation Operations § 60.661... for destroying organic compounds and does not extract energy in the form of steam or process heat...

40 CFR 60.661 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Distillation Operations § 60.661... for destroying organic compounds and does not extract energy in the form of steam or process heat...

40 CFR 60.661 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Distillation Operations § 60.661... for destroying organic compounds and does not extract energy in the form of steam or process heat...

Method and apparatus for destroying organic contaminants in aqueous liquids

DOEpatents

Donaldson, T.L.; Wilson, J.H.

1993-09-21

A method and apparatus for destroying organic contaminants, such as trichloroethylene, in aqueous liquids, such as groundwater, utilizing steam stripping integrated with biodegradation. The contaminated aqueous liquid is fed into a steam stripper causing the volatilization of essentially all of the organic contaminants and a portion of the aqueous liquid. The majority of the aqueous liquid is discharged from the steam stripper. The volatilized vapors are then condensed to the liquid phase and introduced into a bioreactor. The bioreactor contains methanotrophic microorganisms which convert the organic contaminants into mainly carbon dioxide. The effluent from the bioreactor is then recycled back to the steam stripper for further processing. 2 figures.

Method and apparatus for destroying organic contaminants in aqueous liquids

DOEpatents

Donaldson, Terrence L.; Wilson, James H.

1993-01-01

A method and apparatus for destroying organic contaminants, such as trichloroethylene, in aqueous liquids, such as groundwater, utilizing steam stripping integrated with biodegradation. The contaminated aqueous liquid is fed into a steam stripper causing the volatilization of essentially all of the organic contaminants and a portion of the aqueous liquid. The majority of the aqueous liquid is discharged from the steam stripper. The volatilized vapors are then condensed to the liquid phase and introduced into a bioreactor. The bioreactor contains methanotrophic microorganisms which convert the organic contaminants into mainly carbon dioxide. The effluent from the bioreactor is then recycled back to the steam stripper for further processing.

Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions during malting and beer manufacture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, Nigel B.; Costigan, Gavin T.; Swannell, Richard P. J.; Woodfield, Michael J.

Estimates have been made of the amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released during different stages of beer manufacture. The estimates are based on recent measurements and plant specification data supplied by manufacturers. Data were obtained for three main manufacturing processes (malting, wort processing and fermentation) for three commercial beer types. Some data on the speciation of emitted compounds have been obtained. Based on these measurements, an estimate of the total unabated VOC emission. from the U.K. brewing industry was calculated as 3.5 kta -1, over 95% of which was generated during barley malting. This value does not include any correction for air pollution control.

Constraining the Volatility Distributions and Possible Diffusion Limitations of Secondary Organic Aerosols Using Laboratory Dilution Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Q.; Robinson, E. S.; Mahfouz, N.; Sullivan, R. C.; Donahue, N. M.

2016-12-01

Secondary organic aerosols (SOA) dominate the mass of fine particles in the atmosphere. Their formation involves both oxidation of volatile organics from various sources that produce products with uncertain volatilities, and diffusion of these products into the condensed phase. Therefore, constraining volatility distribution and diffusion timescales of the constituents in SOA are important in predicting size, concentration and composition of SOA, as well as how these properties of SOA evolve in the atmosphere. In this work, we demonstrate how carefully designed laboratory isothermal dilution experiments in smog chambers can shed light into the volatility distribution and any diffusion barriers of common types of SOA over time scales relevant to atmospheric transport and diurnal cycling. We choose SOA made from mono-terpenes (alpha-pinene and limonene) and toluene to represent biogenic and anthropogenic SOA. We look into how moisture content can alter any evaporation behaviors of SOA by varying relative humidity during SOA generation and during dilution process. This provides insight into whether diffusion in the condensed phase is rate limiting in reaching gas/particle equilibrium of semi-volatile organic compounds. Our preliminary results show that SOA from alpha-pinene evaporates continuously over several hours of experiments, and there is no substantial discernible differences over wide ranges of the chamber humidity. SOA from toluene oxidation shows slower evaporation. We fit these experimental data using absorptive partitioning theory and a particle dynamic model to obtain volatility distributions and to predict particle size evolution. This in the end will help us to improve representation of SOA in large scale chemical transport models.

Analysis of a GC/MS thermal desorption system with simultaneous sniffing for determination of off-odor compounds and VOCs in fumes formed during extrusion coating of low-density polyethylene.

PubMed

Villberg, K; Veijanen, A

2001-03-01

A thermal desorption equipment introducing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the gas chromatographic/ mass spectrometric system (GC/MS) with simultaneous sniffing (SNIFF) is a suitable method for identifying the volatile organic off-odor compounds formed during the extrusion coating process of low-density polyethylene. Fumes emitted during the extrusion coating process of three different plastic materials were collected at two different temperatures (285 and 315 degrees C) from an outgoing pipe and near an extruder. The VOCs of fumes were analyzed by drawing a known volume of air through the adsorbent tube filled with a solid adsorbent (Tenax GR). The air samples were analyzed by using a special thermal desorption device and GC/MS determination. The simultaneous sniffing was carried out to detect off-odors and to assist in the identification of those compounds that contribute to tainting and smelling. The amounts of off-odor carbonyl compounds and the total content of the volatile organic compounds were determined. The most odorous compounds were identified as carboxylic acids while the majority of the volatile compounds were hydrocarbons. The detection and quantification of carboxylic acids were based on the characteristic ions of their mass spectra. The higher the extrusion temperature the more odors were detected. An important observation was that the total concentration of volatiles was dependent not only on the extrusion temperature but also on the plastic material.

Chemical evolution of atmospheric organic carbon over multiple generations of oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaacman-VanWertz, Gabriel; Massoli, Paola; O'Brien, Rachel; Lim, Christopher; Franklin, Jonathan P.; Moss, Joshua A.; Hunter, James F.; Nowak, John B.; Canagaratna, Manjula R.; Misztal, Pawel K.; Arata, Caleb; Roscioli, Joseph R.; Herndon, Scott T.; Onasch, Timothy B.; Lambe, Andrew T.; Jayne, John T.; Su, Luping; Knopf, Daniel A.; Goldstein, Allen H.; Worsnop, Douglas R.; Kroll, Jesse H.

2018-02-01

The evolution of atmospheric organic carbon as it undergoes oxidation has a controlling influence on concentrations of key atmospheric species, including particulate matter, ozone and oxidants. However, full characterization of organic carbon over hours to days of atmospheric processing has been stymied by its extreme chemical complexity. Here we study the multigenerational oxidation of α-pinene in the laboratory, characterizing products with several state-of-the-art analytical techniques. Although quantification of some early generation products remains elusive, full carbon closure is achieved (within measurement uncertainty) by the end of the experiments. These results provide new insights into the effects of oxidation on organic carbon properties (volatility, oxidation state and reactivity) and the atmospheric lifecycle of organic carbon. Following an initial period characterized by functionalization reactions and particle growth, fragmentation reactions dominate, forming smaller species. After approximately one day of atmospheric aging, most carbon is sequestered in two long-lived reservoirs—volatile oxidized gases and low-volatility particulate matter.

Chemical evolution of atmospheric organic carbon over multiple generations of oxidation.

PubMed

Isaacman-VanWertz, Gabriel; Massoli, Paola; O'Brien, Rachel; Lim, Christopher; Franklin, Jonathan P; Moss, Joshua A; Hunter, James F; Nowak, John B; Canagaratna, Manjula R; Misztal, Pawel K; Arata, Caleb; Roscioli, Joseph R; Herndon, Scott T; Onasch, Timothy B; Lambe, Andrew T; Jayne, John T; Su, Luping; Knopf, Daniel A; Goldstein, Allen H; Worsnop, Douglas R; Kroll, Jesse H

2018-04-01

The evolution of atmospheric organic carbon as it undergoes oxidation has a controlling influence on concentrations of key atmospheric species, including particulate matter, ozone and oxidants. However, full characterization of organic carbon over hours to days of atmospheric processing has been stymied by its extreme chemical complexity. Here we study the multigenerational oxidation of α-pinene in the laboratory, characterizing products with several state-of-the-art analytical techniques. Although quantification of some early generation products remains elusive, full carbon closure is achieved (within measurement uncertainty) by the end of the experiments. These results provide new insights into the effects of oxidation on organic carbon properties (volatility, oxidation state and reactivity) and the atmospheric lifecycle of organic carbon. Following an initial period characterized by functionalization reactions and particle growth, fragmentation reactions dominate, forming smaller species. After approximately one day of atmospheric aging, most carbon is sequestered in two long-lived reservoirs-volatile oxidized gases and low-volatility particulate matter.

40 CFR 60.701 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Reactor Processes § 60.701 Definitions. As used in.... Incinerator means an enclosed combustion device that is used for destroying organic compounds. If there is...

40 CFR 60.701 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Reactor Processes § 60.701 Definitions. As used in.... Incinerator means an enclosed combustion device that is used for destroying organic compounds. If there is...

The Interaction of Spacecraft Cabin Atmospheric Quality and Water Processing System Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, Jay L.; Croomes, Scott D. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Although designed to remove organic contaminants from a variety of waste water streams, the planned U.S.- and present Russian-provided water processing systems onboard the International Space Station (ISS) have capacity limits for some of the more common volatile cleaning solvents used for housekeeping purposes. Using large quantities of volatile cleaning solvents during the ground processing and in-flight operational phases of a crewed spacecraft such as the ISS can lead to significant challenges to the water processing systems. To understand the challenges facing the management of water processing capacity, the relationship between cabin atmospheric quality and humidity condensate loading is presented. This relationship is developed as a tool to determine the cabin atmospheric loading that may compromise water processing system performance. A comparison of cabin atmospheric loading with volatile cleaning solvents from ISS, Mir, and Shuttle are presented to predict acceptable limits to maintain optimal water processing system performance.

Nanoparticles in Constanta-North Wastewater Treatment Plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panaitescu, I. M.; Panaitescu, Fanel-Viorel L.; Panaitescu, Ileana-Irina F. V.

2015-02-01

In this paper we describe the route of the nanoparticles in the WWTP and demonstrate how to use the simulation flow sensitivity analysis within STOATTM program to evaluate the effect of variation of the constant, "k" in the equation v= kCh settling on fixed concentration of nanoparticles in sewage water from a primary tank of physical-biological stage. Wastewater treatment facilities are designed to remove conventional pollutants from sanitary waste. Major processes of treatment includes: a) physical treatment-remove suspended large solids by settling or sedimentation and eliminate floating greases; b) biological treatment-degradation or consumption of the dissolved organic matter using the means of cultivated in activated sludge or the trickling filters; c) chemical treatment-remove other matters by the means of chemical addition or destroying pathogenic organisms through disinfection; d) advanced treatment- removing specific constituents using processes such as activated carbon, membrane separation, or ion exchange. Particular treatment processes are: a) sedimentation; b) coagulation and flocculation; c) activated sludge; d) sand filters; e) membrane separation; f) disinfection. Methods are: 1) using the STOATTM program with input and output data for primary tank and parameters of wastewater. 2) generating a data file for influent using a sinusoidal model and we accepted defaults STOATTM data. 3) After this, getting spreadsheet data for various characteristics of wastewater for 48 hours:flow, temperature, pH, volatile fatty acids, soluble BOD, COD inert soluble particulate BOD, COD inert particles, volatile solids, volatile solids, ammonia, nitrate and soluble organic nitrogen. Findings and Results:1.Graphics after 48 hour;. 2.Graphics for parameters - flow,temperature, pH/units hours; 3.Graphics of nanoparticles; 4. Graphics of others volatile and non-volatile solids; 5. Timeseries data and summary statistics. Biodegradation of nanoparticles is the breakdown of organic molecules that may cause changes in the physical structure or the surface characteristic of the material.

A Monte-Carlo Analysis of Organic Aerosol Volatility with Aerosol Microphysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, C. Y.; Tsigaridis, K.; Bauer, S. E.

2016-12-01

A newly developed box model scheme, MATRIX-VBS, includes the volatility-basis set (VBS) framework in an aerosol microphysical scheme MATRIX (Multiconfiguration Aerosol TRacker of mIXing state), which resolves aerosol mass and number concentrations and aerosol mixing state. The new scheme advanced the representation of organic aerosols in Earth system models by improving the traditional and simplistic treatment of organic aerosols as non-volatile and with a fixed size distribution. Further development includes adding the condensation of organics on coarse mode aerosols - dust and sea salt, thus making all organics in the system semi-volatile. To test and simplify the model, a Monte-Carlo analysis is performed to pin point which processes affect organics the most under which chemical and meteorological conditions. Since the model's parameterizations have the ability to capture a very wide range of conditions, from very clean to very polluted and for a wide range of meteorological conditions, all possible scenarios on Earth across the whole parameter space, including temperature, location, emissions and oxidant levels, are examined. The Monte-Carlo simulations provide quantitative information on the sensitivity of the newly developed model and help us understand how organics are affecting the size distribution, mixing state and volatility distribution at varying levels of meteorological conditions and pollution levels. In addition, these simulations give information on which parameters play a critical role in the aerosol distribution and evolution in the atmosphere and which do not, that will facilitate the simplification of the box model, an important step in its implementation in the global model.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hodshire, Anna L.; Lawler, Michael J.; Zhao, Jun

New-particle formation (NPF) is a significant source of aerosol particles into the atmosphere. However, these particles are initially too small to have climatic importance and must grow, primarily through net uptake of low-volatility species, from diameters  ∼  1 to 30–100 nm in order to potentially impact climate. There are currently uncertainties in the physical and chemical processes associated with the growth of these freshly formed particles that lead to uncertainties in aerosol-climate modeling. Four main pathways for new-particle growth have been identified: condensation of sulfuric-acid vapor (and associated bases when available), condensation of organic vapors, uptake of organic acids through acid–base chemistrymore » in the particle phase, and accretion of organic molecules in the particle phase to create a lower-volatility compound that then contributes to the aerosol mass. The relative importance of each pathway is uncertain and is the focus of this work. The 2013 New Particle Formation Study (NPFS) measurement campaign took place at the DOE Southern Great Plains (SGP) facility in Lamont, Oklahoma, during spring 2013. Measured gas- and particle-phase compositions during these new-particle growth events suggest three distinct growth pathways: (1) growth by primarily organics, (2) growth by primarily sulfuric acid and ammonia, and (3) growth by primarily sulfuric acid and associated bases and organics. To supplement the measurements, we used the particle growth model MABNAG (Model for Acid–Base chemistry in NAnoparticle Growth) to gain further insight into the growth processes on these 3 days at SGP. MABNAG simulates growth from (1) sulfuric-acid condensation (and subsequent salt formation with ammonia or amines), (2) near-irreversible condensation from nonreactive extremely low-volatility organic compounds (ELVOCs), and (3) organic-acid condensation and subsequent salt formation with ammonia or amines. MABNAG is able to corroborate the observed differing growth pathways, while also predicting that ELVOCs contribute more to growth than organic salt formation. However, most MABNAG model simulations tend to underpredict the observed growth rates between 10 and 20 nm in diameter; this underprediction may come from neglecting the contributions to growth from semi-to-low-volatility species or accretion reactions. Our results suggest that in addition to sulfuric acid, ELVOCs are also very important for growth in this rural setting. We discuss the limitations of our study that arise from not accounting for semi- and low-volatility organics, as well as nitrogen-containing species beyond ammonia and amines in the model. Quantitatively understanding the overall budget, evolution, and thermodynamic properties of lower-volatility organics in the atmosphere will be essential for improving global aerosol models.« less

Modeling long-term uptake and re-volatilization of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) across the soil-atmosphere interface.

PubMed

Bao, Zhongwen; Haberer, Christina; Maier, Uli; Beckingham, Barbara; Amos, Richard T; Grathwohl, Peter

2015-12-15

Soil-atmosphere exchange is important for the environmental fate and atmospheric transport of many semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). This study focuses on modeling the vapor phase exchange of semi-volatile hydrophobic organic pollutants between soil and the atmosphere using the multicomponent reactive transport code MIN3P. MIN3P is typically applied to simulate aqueous and vapor phase transport and reaction processes in the subsurface. We extended the code to also include an atmospheric boundary layer where eddy diffusion takes place. The relevant processes and parameters affecting soil-atmosphere exchange were investigated in several 1-D model scenarios and at various time scales (from years to centuries). Phenanthrene was chosen as a model compound, but results apply for other hydrophobic organic compounds as well. Gaseous phenanthrene was assumed to be constantly supplied to the system during a pollution period and a subsequent regulation period (with a 50% decline in the emission rate). Our results indicate that long-term soil-atmosphere exchange of phenanthrene is controlled by the soil compartment - re-volatilization thus depends on soil properties. A sensitivity analysis showed that accumulation and transport in soils in the short term is dominated by diffusion, whereas in the long term groundwater recharge and biodegradation become relevant. As expected, sorption causes retardation and slows down transport and biodegradation. If atmospheric concentration is reduced (e.g. after environmental regulations), re-volatilization from soil to the atmosphere occurs only for a relatively short time period. Therefore, the model results demonstrate that soils generally are sinks for atmospheric pollutants. The atmospheric boundary layer is only relevant for time scales of less than one month. The extended MIN3P code can also be applied to simulate fluctuating concentrations in the atmosphere, for instance due to temperature changes in the topsoil. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The emission of volatile compounds during the aerobic and the combined anaerobic/aerobic composting of biowaste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smet, Erik; Van Langenhove, Herman; De Bo, Inge

Two different biowaste composting techniques were compared with regard to their overall emission of volatile compounds during the active composting period. In the aerobic composting process, the biowaste was aerated during a 12-week period, while the combined anaerobic/aerobic composting process consisted of a sequence of a 3-week anaerobic digestion (phase I) and a 2-week aeration period (phase II). While the emission of volatiles during phase I of the combined anaerobic/aerobic composting process was measured in a full-scale composting plant, the aerobic stages of both composting techniques were performed in pilot-scale composting bins. Similar groups of volatile compounds were analysed in the biogas and the aerobic composting waste gases, being alcohols, carbonyl compounds, terpenes, esters, sulphur compounds and ethers. Predominance of alcohols (38% wt/wt of the cumulative emission) was observed in the exhaust air of the aerobic composting process, while predominance of terpenes (87%) and ammonia (93%) was observed in phases I and II of the combined anaerobic/aerobic composting process, respectively. In the aerobic composting process, 2-propanol, ethanol, acetone, limonene and ethyl acetate made up about 82% of the total volatile organic compounds (VOC)-emission. Next to this, the gas analysis during the aerobic composting process revealed a strong difference in emission profile as a function of time between different groups of volatiles. The total emission of VOC, NH 3 and H 2S during the aerobic composting process was 742 g ton -1 biowaste, while the total emission during phases I and II of the combined anaerobic/aerobic composting process was 236 and 44 g ton -1 biowaste, respectively. Taking into consideration the 99% removal efficiency of volatiles upon combustion of the biogas of phase I in the electricity generator, the combined anaerobic/aerobic composting process can be considered as an attractive alternative for aerobic biowaste composting because of its 17 times lower overall emission of the volatiles mentioned.

Speciated measurements of semivolatile and intermediate volatility organic compounds (S/IVOCs) in a pine forest during BEACHON-RoMBAS 2011

DOE PAGES

Chan, A. W. H.; Kreisberg, N. M.; Hohaus, T.; ...

2016-02-02

Understanding organic composition of gases and particles is essential to identifying sources and atmospheric processing leading to organic aerosols (OA), but atmospheric chemical complexity and the analytical techniques available often limit such analysis. Here we present speciated measurements of semivolatile and intermediate volatility organic compounds (S/IVOCs) using a novel dual-use instrument (SV-TAG-AMS) deployed at Manitou Forest, CO, during the Bio-hydro-atmosphere interactions of Energy, Aerosols, Carbon, H 2O, Organics & Nitrogen – Rocky Mountain Biogenic Aerosol Study (BEACHON-RoMBAS) 2011 campaign. This instrument provides on-line speciation of ambient organic compounds with 2 h time resolution. The species in this volatility range aremore » complex in composition, but their chemical identities reveal potential sources. Observed compounds of biogenic origin include sesquiterpenes with molecular formula C 15H 24 (e.g., β-caryophyllene and longifolene), which were most abundant at night. A variety of other biogenic compounds were observed, including sesquiterpenoids with molecular formula C 15H 22, abietatriene and other terpenoid compounds. Many of these compounds have been identified in essential oils and branch enclosure studies but were observed in ambient air for the first time in our study. Semivolatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkanes were observed with highest concentrations during the day and the dependence on temperature suggests the role of an evaporative source. Using statistical analysis by positive matrix factorization (PMF), we classify observed S/IVOCs by their likely sources and processes, and characterize them based on chemical composition. The total mass concentration of elutable S/IVOCs was estimated to be on the order of 0.7 µg m –3 and their volatility distributions are estimated for modeling aerosol formation chemistry.« less

Speciated measurements of semivolatile and intermediate volatility organic compounds (S/IVOCs) in a pine forest during BEACHON-RoMBAS 2011

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chan, A. W. H.; Kreisberg, N. M.; Hohaus, T.

Understanding organic composition of gases and particles is essential to identifying sources and atmospheric processing leading to organic aerosols (OA), but atmospheric chemical complexity and the analytical techniques available often limit such analysis. Here we present speciated measurements of semivolatile and intermediate volatility organic compounds (S/IVOCs) using a novel dual-use instrument (SV-TAG-AMS) deployed at Manitou Forest, CO, during the Bio-hydro-atmosphere interactions of Energy, Aerosols, Carbon, H 2O, Organics & Nitrogen – Rocky Mountain Biogenic Aerosol Study (BEACHON-RoMBAS) 2011 campaign. This instrument provides on-line speciation of ambient organic compounds with 2 h time resolution. The species in this volatility range aremore » complex in composition, but their chemical identities reveal potential sources. Observed compounds of biogenic origin include sesquiterpenes with molecular formula C 15H 24 (e.g., β-caryophyllene and longifolene), which were most abundant at night. A variety of other biogenic compounds were observed, including sesquiterpenoids with molecular formula C 15H 22, abietatriene and other terpenoid compounds. Many of these compounds have been identified in essential oils and branch enclosure studies but were observed in ambient air for the first time in our study. Semivolatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkanes were observed with highest concentrations during the day and the dependence on temperature suggests the role of an evaporative source. Using statistical analysis by positive matrix factorization (PMF), we classify observed S/IVOCs by their likely sources and processes, and characterize them based on chemical composition. The total mass concentration of elutable S/IVOCs was estimated to be on the order of 0.7 µg m –3 and their volatility distributions are estimated for modeling aerosol formation chemistry.« less

An Effective Method to Detect Volatile Intermediates Generated in the Bioconversion of Coal to Methane by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry after In-Situ Extraction Using Headspace Solid-Phase Micro-Extraction under Strict Anaerobic Conditions.

PubMed

Liu, Jianmin; Wang, Baoyu; Tai, Chao; Wu, Li; Zhao, Han; Guan, Jiadong; Chen, Linyong

2016-01-01

Bioconversion of coal to methane has gained increased attention in recent decades because of its economic and environmental advantages. However, the mechanism of this process is difficult to study in depth, partly because of difficulties associated with the analysis of intermediates generated in coal bioconversion. In this investigation, we report on an effective method to analyze volatile intermediates generated in the bioconversion of coal under strict anaerobic conditions. We conduct in-situ extraction of intermediates using headspace solid-phase micro-extraction followed by detection by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Bioconversion simulation equipment was modified and combined with a solid-phase micro-extraction device. In-situ extraction could be achieved by using the combined units, to avoid a breakdown in anaerobic conditions and to maintain the experiment continuity. More than 30 intermediates were identified qualitatively in the conversion process, and the variation in trends of some typical intermediates has been discussed. Volatile organic acids (C2-C7) were chosen for a quantitative study of the intermediates because of their importance during coal bioconversion to methane. Fiber coating, extraction time, and solution acidity were optimized in the solid-phase micro-extraction procedure. The pressure was enhanced during the bioconversion process to investigate the influence of headspace pressure on analyte extraction. The detection limits of the method ranged from 0.0006 to 0.02 mmol/L for the volatile organic acids and the relative standard deviations were between 4.6% and 11.5%. The volatile organic acids (C2-C7) generated in the bioconversion process were 0.01-1.15 mmol/L with a recovery range from 80% to 105%. The developed method is useful for further in-depth research on the bioconversion of coal to methane.

An Effective Method to Detect Volatile Intermediates Generated in the Bioconversion of Coal to Methane by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry after In-Situ Extraction Using Headspace Solid-Phase Micro-Extraction under Strict Anaerobic Conditions

PubMed Central

Liu, Jianmin; Wang, Baoyu; Tai, Chao; Wu, Li; Zhao, Han; Guan, Jiadong; Chen, Linyong

2016-01-01

Bioconversion of coal to methane has gained increased attention in recent decades because of its economic and environmental advantages. However, the mechanism of this process is difficult to study in depth, partly because of difficulties associated with the analysis of intermediates generated in coal bioconversion. In this investigation, we report on an effective method to analyze volatile intermediates generated in the bioconversion of coal under strict anaerobic conditions. We conduct in-situ extraction of intermediates using headspace solid-phase micro-extraction followed by detection by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Bioconversion simulation equipment was modified and combined with a solid-phase micro-extraction device. In-situ extraction could be achieved by using the combined units, to avoid a breakdown in anaerobic conditions and to maintain the experiment continuity. More than 30 intermediates were identified qualitatively in the conversion process, and the variation in trends of some typical intermediates has been discussed. Volatile organic acids (C2–C7) were chosen for a quantitative study of the intermediates because of their importance during coal bioconversion to methane. Fiber coating, extraction time, and solution acidity were optimized in the solid-phase micro-extraction procedure. The pressure was enhanced during the bioconversion process to investigate the influence of headspace pressure on analyte extraction. The detection limits of the method ranged from 0.0006 to 0.02 mmol/L for the volatile organic acids and the relative standard deviations were between 4.6% and 11.5%. The volatile organic acids (C2–C7) generated in the bioconversion process were 0.01–1.15 mmol/L with a recovery range from 80% to 105%. The developed method is useful for further in-depth research on the bioconversion of coal to methane. PMID:27695055

A numerical model to simulate foams during devolatilization of polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Irfan; Dixit, Ravindra

2014-11-01

Customers often demand that the polymers sold in the market have low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC). Some of the processes for making polymers involve the removal of volatiles to the levels of parts per million (devolatilization). During this step the volatiles are phase separated out of the polymer through a combination of heating and applying lower pressure, creating foam with the pure polymer in liquid phase and the volatiles in the gas phase. The efficiency of the devolatilization process depends on predicting the onset of solvent phase change in the polymer and volatiles mixture accurately based on the processing conditions. However due to the complex relationship between the polymer properties and the processing conditions this is not trivial. In this work, a bubble scale model is coupled with a bulk scale transport model to simulate the processing conditions of polymer devolatilization. The bubble scale model simulates the nucleation and bubble growth based on the classical nucleation theory and the popular ``influence volume approach.'' As such it provides the information of bubble size distribution and number density inside the polymer at any given time and position. This information is used to predict the bulk properties of the polymer and its behavior under the applied processing conditions. Initial results of this modeling approach will be presented.

Org Areo Boreal Forest Sources, compositions and properties of newly formed and regional organic aerosol in a boreal forest during the Biogenic Aerosol: Effects on Clouds and Climate Campaign

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thornton, Joel A

The major goals of this project were to make unique measurements, as part of the DOE sponsored Biogenic Aerosol Effects on Clouds and Climate (BAECC) campaign, of the volatility and molecular composition of organic aerosol, as well as gas-phase concentrations of oxygenated organic compounds that interact and affect organic aerosol. In addition, we aimed to conduct a similar set of measurements as part of a collaborative set of environmental simulation chamber experiments at PNNL, the aim of which was to simulate the atmospheric oxidation of key biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) and study the associated formation and evolution of secondarymore » organic aerosol (SOA). The target BVOC were a set of monoterpenes, isoprene, and related intermediates such as IEPOX. The ultimate goal of such measurements are to develop a more detailed mechanistic understanding of the sensitivity of SOA mass formation and lifetime to precursor and environmental conditions. Molecular composition and direct volatility measurements provide robust tracers of chemical processing and properties. As such, meeting these goals will allow for stronger constraints on the types of processes and their fundamental descriptions needed to simulate aerosol particle number and size, and cloud nucleating ability in regional and global earth system models.« less

77 FR 52606 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Volatile Organic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-30

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Volatile Organic Compounds; Architectural and... sets limits on the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in architectural and industrial... Indiana SIP a new rule within Title 326, Article 8 ``Volatile Organic Compound Rules'' that limits the VOC...

40 CFR 63.4561 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... reduction by applying the volatile organic matter collection and recovery efficiency to the mass of organic... cumulative amount of volatile organic matter recovered by the solvent recovery system each month. The device... volatile organic matter recovered. (2) For each solvent recovery system, determine the mass of volatile...

Optimizing operating parameters of a honeycomb zeolite rotor concentrator for processing TFT-LCD volatile organic compounds with competitive adsorption characteristics.

PubMed

Lin, Yu-Chih; Chang, Feng-Tang

2009-05-30

In this study, we attempted to enhance the removal efficiency of a honeycomb zeolite rotor concentrator (HZRC), operated at optimal parameters, for processing TFT-LCD volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with competitive adsorption characteristics. The results indicated that when the HZRC processed a VOCs stream of mixed compounds, compounds with a high boiling point take precedence in the adsorption process. In addition, existing compounds with a low boiling point adsorbed onto the HZRC were also displaced by the high-boiling-point compounds. In order to achieve optimal operating parameters for high VOCs removal efficiency, results suggested controlling the inlet velocity to <1.5m/s, reducing the concentration ratio to 8 times, increasing the desorption temperature to 200-225 degrees C, and setting the rotation speed to 6.5rpm.

40 CFR 60.704 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Reactor Processes § 60... compound j in ppm, as measured for organics by Method 18 and measured for hydrogen and carbon monoxide by...

40 CFR 60.704 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Reactor Processes § 60... basis of compound j in ppm, as measured for organics by Method 18 and measured for hydrogen and carbon...

Volatile Metabolites

PubMed Central

Rowan, Daryl D.

2011-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (volatiles) comprise a chemically diverse class of low molecular weight organic compounds having an appreciable vapor pressure under ambient conditions. Volatiles produced by plants attract pollinators and seed dispersers, and provide defense against pests and pathogens. For insects, volatiles may act as pheromones directing social behavior or as cues for finding hosts or prey. For humans, volatiles are important as flavorants and as possible disease biomarkers. The marine environment is also a major source of halogenated and sulfur-containing volatiles which participate in the global cycling of these elements. While volatile analysis commonly measures a rather restricted set of analytes, the diverse and extreme physical properties of volatiles provide unique analytical challenges. Volatiles constitute only a small proportion of the total number of metabolites produced by living organisms, however, because of their roles as signaling molecules (semiochemicals) both within and between organisms, accurately measuring and determining the roles of these compounds is crucial to an integrated understanding of living systems. This review summarizes recent developments in volatile research from a metabolomics perspective with a focus on the role of recent technical innovation in developing new areas of volatile research and expanding the range of ecological interactions which may be mediated by volatile organic metabolites. PMID:24957243

Concurrent Lactic and Volatile Fatty Acid Analysis of Microbial Fermentation Samples by Gas Chromatography with Heat Pre-treatment.

PubMed

Darwin; WipaCharles; Cord-Ruwisch, Ralf

2018-01-01

Organic acid analysis of fermentation samples can be readily achieved by gas chromatography (GC), which detects volatile organic acids. However, lactic acid, a key fermentation acid is non-volatile and can hence not be quantified by regular GC analysis. However the addition of periodic acid to organic acid samples has been shown to enable lactic acid analysis by GC, as periodic acid oxidizes lactic acid to the volatile acetaldehyde. Direct GC injection of lactic acid standards and periodic acid generated inconsistent and irreproducible peaks, possibly due to incomplete lactic acid oxidation to acetaldehyde. The described method is developed to improve lactic acid analysis by GC by using a heat treated derivatization pre-treatment, such that it becomes independent of the retention time and temperature selection of the GC injector. Samples containing lactic acid were amended by periodic acid and heated in a sealed test tube at 100°C for at least 45 min before injecting it to the GC. Reproducible and consistent peaks of acetaldehyde were obtained. Simultaneous determination of lactic acid, acetone, ethanol, butanol, volatile fatty acids could also be accomplished by applying this GC method, enabling precise and convenient organic acid analysis of biological samples such as anaerobic digestion and fermentation processes. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Flash pyrolysis of coal, coal maceral, and coal-derived pyrite with on-line characterization of volatile sulfur compounds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chou, I.-Ming; Lake, M.A.; Griffin, R.A.

1988-01-01

A Pyroprobe flash pyrolysis-gas chromatograph equipped with a flame photometric detector was used to study volatile sulfur compounds produced during the thermal decomposition of Illinois coal, coal macerals and coal-derived pyrite. Maximum evolution of volatile organic sulfur compounds from all coal samples occurred at a temperature of approximately 700??C. At this temperature, the evolution of thiophene, its alkyl isomers, and short-chain dialkyl sulfide compounds relative to the evolution of benzothiophene and dibenzothiophene compounds was greater from coal high in organic sulfur than from coal low in organic sulfur. The variation in the evolution of sulfur compounds observed for three separate coal macerals (exinite, vitrinite, and inertinite) was similar to that observed for whole coal samples. However, the variation trend for the macerals was much more pronounced. Decomposition of coal-derived pyrite with the evolution of elemental sulfur was detected at a temperature greater than 700??C. The results of this study indicated that the gas chromotographic profile of the volatile sulfur compounds produced during flash pyrolysis of coals and coal macerals varied as a function of the amount of organic sulfur that occurred in the samples. Characterization of these volatile sulfur compounds provides a better understanding of the behavior of sulfur in coal during the thermolysis process, which could be incorporated in the design for coal cleaning using flash pyrolysis techniques. ?? 1988.

MATRIX-VBS Condensing Organic Aerosols in an Aerosol Microphysics Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gao, Chloe Y.; Tsigaridis, Konstas; Bauer, Susanne E.

2015-01-01

The condensation of organic aerosols is represented in a newly developed box-model scheme, where its effect on the growth and composition of particles are examined. We implemented the volatility-basis set (VBS) framework into the aerosol mixing state resolving microphysical scheme Multiconfiguration Aerosol TRacker of mIXing state (MATRIX). This new scheme is unique and advances the representation of organic aerosols in models in that, contrary to the traditional treatment of organic aerosols as non-volatile in most climate models and in the original version of MATRIX, this new scheme treats them as semi-volatile. Such treatment is important because low-volatility organics contribute significantly to the growth of particles. The new scheme includes several classes of semi-volatile organic compounds from the VBS framework that can partition among aerosol populations in MATRIX, thus representing the growth of particles via condensation of low volatility organic vapors. Results from test cases representing Mexico City and a Finish forrest condistions show good representation of the time evolutions of concentration for VBS species in the gas phase and in the condensed particulate phase. Emitted semi-volatile primary organic aerosols evaporate almost completely in the high volatile range, and they condense more efficiently in the low volatility range.

Groundwater geochemical and selected volatile organic compound data, Operable Unit 1, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Keyport, Washington, June 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huffman, Raegan L.; Frans, L.M.

2012-01-01

Previous investigations indicate that concentrations of chlorinated volatile organic compounds are substantial in groundwater beneath the 9-acre former landfill at Operable Unit 1, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Keyport, Washington. Phytoremediation combined with ongoing natural attenuation processes was the preferred remedy selected by the U.S. Navy, as specified in the Record of Decision for the site. The U.S. Navy planted two hybrid poplar plantations on the landfill in spring 1999 to remove and to control the migration of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in shallow groundwater. The U.S. Geological Survey has continued to monitor groundwater geochemistry to ensure that conditions remain favorable for contaminant biodegradation as specified in the Record of Decision. This report presents groundwater geochemical and selected volatile organic compound data collected at Operable Unit 1 by the U.S. Geological Survey during June 20-22, 2011, in support of long-term monitoring for natural attenuation. In 2011, groundwater samples were collected from 13 wells and 9 piezometers. Samples from all wells and piezometers were analyzed for redox sensitive constituents and dissolved gases, and samples from 5 of 13 wells and all piezometers also were analyzed for chlorinated volatile organic compounds. Concentrations of redox sensitive constituents measured in 2011 were consistent with previous years, with dissolved oxygen concentrations all at 0.4 milligram per liter or less; little to no detectable nitrate; abundant dissolved manganese, iron, and methane; and commonly detected sulfide. The reductive declorination byproducts - methane, ethane, and ethene - were either not detected in samples collected from the upgradient wells in the landfill and the upper aquifer beneath the northern phytoremediation plantation or were detected at concentrations less than those measured in 2010. Chlorinated volatile organic compound concentrations in 2011 at most piezometers were similar to or slightly less than chlorinated volatile organic compound concentrations measured in previous years. For the upper aquifer beneath the southern phytoremediation plantation, chlorinated volatile organic compound concentrations in 2011 in groundwater from the piezometers were extremely high and continued to vary considerably over space and between years. At piezometer P1-9, the total chlorinated volatile organic compound concentrations increased from 9,500 micrograms per liter in 2010 to more than 44,000 micrograms per liter in 2011. Total chlorinated volatile organic compound concentrations decreased at piezometers P1-6, P1-7, and P1-10 compared to the concentrations measured in 2010. One or both of the reductive dechlorination byproducts ethane and ethene were detected at all piezometers and three of the four wells in the southern plantation. For the intermediate aquifer, concentrations of redox sensitive constituents and chlorinated volatile organic compounds in 2011 were consistent with concentrations measured in previous years, with the exception of notable decreases in sulfate and chloride concentrations at well MW1-28. Concentrations of the reductive dechlorination byproducts ethane and ethene decreased at wells MW1-25 and MW1-28 compared to previously measured concentrations.

Screening of ground water samples for volatile organic compounds using a portable gas chromatograph

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buchmiller, R.C.

1989-01-01

A portable gas chromatograph was used to screen 32 ground water samples for volatile organic compounds. Seven screened samples were positive; four of the seven samples had volatile organic substances identified by second-column confirmation. Four of the seven positive, screened samples also tested positive in laboratory analyses of duplicate samples. No volatile organic compounds were detected in laboratory analyses of samples that headspace screening indicated to be negative. Samples that contained volatile organic compounds, as identified by laboratory analysis, and that contained a volatile organic compound present in a standard of selected compounds were correctly identified by using the portable gas chromatography. Comparisons of screened-sample data with laboratory data indicate the ability to detect selected volatile organic compounds at concentrations of about 1 microgram per liter in the headspace of water samples by use of a portable gas chromatography. -Author

CHEMISTRY AND PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF LOW-VOLATILITY ORGANIC CHEMICALS ON ENVIRONMENTAL SURFACES

EPA Science Inventory

Hydrophobic organic xenobiotics such as polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have strong tendencies to sorb on environmental surfaces. The paper summarizes a workshop in which scientists and modelers assembled to discuss nonbiological processes that...

Volatile halogenated hydrocarbons in foods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miyahara, Makoto; Toyoda, Masatake; Saito, Yukio

1995-02-01

Volatile halogenated organic compounds were determined in foods. Statistical treatment of the data for 13 sampled from 20 families living in suburban Tokyo (Saitama prefecture) indicated that the foods were contaminated by water pollution and/or substances introduced by the process of food production. Butter and margarine were contaminated by chlorinated ethylene, ethane, and related compounds released by dry cleaning and other operations. Soybean sprouts and tofu (soybean curd) contained chloroform and related trihalomethanes absorbed during the production process. 27 refs., 6 figs., 5 tabs.

Ammonia volatilization from a Chinese cabbage field under different nitrogen treatments in the Taihu Lake Basin, China.

PubMed

Shan, Linan; He, Yunfeng; Chen, Jie; Huang, Qian; Wang, Hongcai

2015-12-01

Ammonia (NH3) volatilization is a major pathway of nitrogen (N) loss from soil-crop systems. As vegetable cultivation is one of the most important agricultural land uses worldwide, a deeper understanding of NH3 volatilization is necessary in vegetable production systems. We therefore conducted a 3-year (2010-2012) field experiment to characterize NH3 volatilization and evaluate the effect of different N fertilizer treatments on this process during the growth period of Chinese cabbage. Ammonia volatilization rate, rainfall, soil water content, pH, and soil NH4(+) were measured during the growth period. The results showed that NH3 volatilization was significantly and positively correlated to topsoil pH and NH4(+) concentration. Climate factors and fertilization method also significantly affected NH3 volatilization. Specifically, organic fertilizer (OF) increased NH3 volatilization by 11.77%-18.46%, compared to conventional fertilizer (CF, urea), while organic-inorganic compound fertilizer (OIF) reduced NH3 volatilization by 8.82%-12.67% compared to CF. Furthermore, slow-release fertilizers had significantly positive effects on controlling NH3 volatilization, with a 60.73%-68.80% reduction for sulfur-coated urea (SCU), a 71.85%-78.97% reduction for biological Carbon Power® urea (BCU), and a 77.66%-83.12% reduction for bulk-blend controlled-release fertilizer (BBCRF) relative to CF. This study provides much needed baseline information, which will help in fertilizer choice and management practices to reduce NH3 volatilization and encourage the development of new strategies for vegetable planting. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Function of bacterial community dynamics in the formation of cadaveric semiochemicals during in situ carcass decomposition.

PubMed

Pascual, Javier; von Hoermann, Christian; Rottler-Hoermann, Ann-Marie; Nevo, Omer; Geppert, Alicia; Sikorski, Johannes; Huber, Katharina J; Steiger, Sandra; Ayasse, Manfred; Overmann, Jörg

2017-08-01

The decomposition of dead mammalian tissue involves a complex temporal succession of epinecrotic bacteria. Microbial activity may release different cadaveric volatile organic compounds which in turn attract other key players of carcass decomposition such as scavenger insects. To elucidate the dynamics and potential functions of epinecrotic bacteria on carcasses, we monitored bacterial communities developing on still-born piglets incubated in different forest ecosystems by combining high-throughput Illumina 16S rRNA sequencing with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of volatiles. Our results show that the community structure of epinecrotic bacteria and the types of cadaveric volatile compounds released over the time course of decomposition are driven by deterministic rather than stochastic processes. Individual cadaveric volatile organic compounds were correlated with specific taxa during the first stages of decomposition which are dominated by bacteria. Through best-fitting multiple linear regression models, the synthesis of acetic acid, indole and phenol could be linked to the activity of Enterobacteriaceae, Tissierellaceae and Xanthomonadaceae, respectively. These conclusions are also commensurate with the metabolism described for the dominant taxa identified for these families. The predictable nature of in situ synthesis of cadaveric volatile organic compounds by epinecrotic bacteria provides a new basis for future chemical ecology and forensic studies. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

MATRIX-VBS (v1.0): Implementing an Evolving Organic Aerosol Volatility in an Aerosol Microphysics Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gao, Chloe Y.; Tsigaridis, Kostas; Bauer, Susanne E.

2017-01-01

The gas-particle partitioning and chemical aging of semi-volatile organic aerosol are presented in a newly developed box model scheme, where its effect on the growth, composition, and mixing state of particles is examined. The volatility-basis set (VBS) framework is implemented into the aerosol microphysical scheme MATRIX (Multiconfiguration Aerosol TRacker of mIXing state), which resolves mass and number aerosol concentrations and in multiple mixing-state classes. The new scheme, MATRIX-VBS, has the potential to significantly advance the representation of organic aerosols in Earth system models by improving upon the conventional representation as non-volatile particulate organic matter, often also with an assumed fixed size distribution. We present results from idealized cases representing Beijing, Mexico City, a Finnish forest, and a southeastern US forest, and investigate the evolution of mass concentrations and volatility distributions for organic species across the gas and particle phases, as well as assessing their mixing state among aerosol populations. Emitted semi-volatile primary organic aerosols evaporate almost completely in the intermediate-volatility range, while they remain in the particle phase in the low-volatility range. Their volatility distribution at any point in time depends on the applied emission factors, oxidation by OH radicals, and temperature. We also compare against parallel simulations with the original scheme, which represented only the particulate and non-volatile component of the organic aerosol, examining how differently the condensed-phase organic matter is distributed across the mixing states in the model. The results demonstrate the importance of representing organic aerosol as a semi-volatile aerosol, and explicitly calculating the partitioning of organic species between the gas and particulate phases.

SEMINAR PUBLICATION: ORGANIC AIR EMISSIONS FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITIES

EPA Science Inventory

The organic chemicals contained in wastes processed during waste management operations can volatilize into the atmosphere and cause toxic or carcinogenic effects or contribute to ozone formation. Because air emissions from waste management operations pose a threat to human health...

User's guide for polyethylene-based passive diffusion bag samplers to obtain volatile organic compound concentrations in wells. Part I, Deployment, recovery, data interpretation, and quality control and assurance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vroblesky, Don A.

2001-01-01

Diffusion samplers installed in observation wells were found to be capable of yielding representative water samples for chlorinated volatile organic compounds. The samplers consisted of polyethylene bags containing deionized water and relied on diffusion of chlorinated volatile organic compounds through the polyethylene membrane. The known ability of polyethylene to transmit other volatile compounds, such as benzene and toluene, indicates that the samplers can be used for a variety of volatile organic compounds. In wells at the study area, the volatile organic compound concentrations in water samples obtained using the samplers without prior purging were similar to concentrations in water samples obtained from the respective wells using traditional purging and sampling approaches. The low cost associated with this approach makes it a viable option for monitoring large observation-well networks for volatile organic compounds.

User's guide for polyethylene-based passive diffusion bag samplers to obtain volatile organic compound concentrations in wells. Part 2, Field tests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vroblesky, Don A.

2001-01-01

Diffusion samplers installed in observation wells were found to be capable of yielding representative water samples for chlorinated volatile organic compounds. The samplers consisted of polyethylene bags containing deionized water and relied on diffusion of chlorinated volatile organic compounds through the polyethylene membrane. The known ability of polyethylene to transmit other volatile compounds, such as benzene and toluene, indicates that the samplers can be used for a variety of volatile organic compounds. In wells at the study area, the volatile organic compound concentrations in water samples obtained using the samplers without prior purging were similar to concentrations in water samples obtained from the respective wells using traditional purging and sampling approaches. The low cost associated with this approach makes it a viable option for monitoring large observation-well networks for volatile organic compounds.

Things fall apart: Fragmentation reactions in the oxidative aging of organic species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kroll, J. H.; Isaacman-VanWertz, G. A.; Wilson, K. R.; Daumit, K. E.; Kessler, S. H.; Lim, C. Y.; Worsnop, D. R.

2016-12-01

The atmospheric oxidation of organic compounds involves a wide array of chemical transformations, including functionalization reactions (addition of polar functional groups to the carbon skeleton), fragmentation reactions (formation of lower carbon-number products via C-C bond scission), and accretion reactions (increases in molecular weight by the combination of two chemical species). Each of these reaction classes can lead to large changes in volatility, and hence can have major implications for atmospheric organic aerosol (OA). For example, the formation of OA is predominantly driven by functionalization and accretion reactions, which generally lead to decreases in volatility. Here we describe a series of laboratory studies of the subsequent organic "aging", the multiday oxidation processes that occur after the initial OA formation and growth. In these studies, the multigenerational oxidation of organic compounds in various phases (the gas phase, the condensed OA phase, and the aqueous phase) is carried out within either an environmental chamber or a flow reactor, and monitored using various high-resolution mass spectrometric techniques. In all cases it is found that fragmentation reactions play a major role in the observed aging chemistry, dominated by the formation of small, volatile oxidation products. These results suggest that multi-day oxidative aging processes do not lead to sustained aerosol growth, but rather may serve as a chemical sink for atmospheric OA.

Characterization of Crew Refuse Returned from Shuttle Missions with Permanent Gas, Volatile Organic Compound, and Microbial Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, B.; Hummerick, M.; Roberts, M.; Krummins, V.; Kish, A.; Garland, J.; Maxwell, S.; Mills, A.

In addition to the mass and energy costs associated with bioregenerative systems for advanced life support, the storage and processing of waste on spacecraft requires both atmospheric and biological management. Risks to crew health may arise from the presence of potential human pathogens in waste or from decay processes during waste storage and/or processing. This study reports on the permanent gas, trace volatile organic and microbiological analyses of crew refuse returned from shuttle missions STS-105, 109 and 110. The research objective is to characterize the biological stability of the waste stream, to assess the risks associated with its storage, and to provide baseline measures for the evaluation of waste processing technologies. Microbiological samples were collected from packaging material, food waste, bathroom waste, and bulk liquid collected from the volume F waste container. The number of culturable bacteria and total bacteria were determined by plating on R2A media and by Acridine Orange direct count, respectively. Samples of the trash were analyzed for the presence of fecal and total coliforms and other human-associated bacteria. Dry and ash weights were determined to estimate both water and organic content of the materials. The aerobic and anaerobic bio-stability of stored waste was determined by on-line monitoring of CO2 and by laboratory analysis of off-gas samples for hydrogen sulfide and methane. Volatile organic compounds and permanent gases were analyzed using EPA method TO15 with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and by gas chromatography with selective detectors . This study establishes a baseline measure of waste composition, labile organics, and microbial load for this material.

Estimates of the organic aerosol volatility in a boreal forest using two independent methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Juan; Äijälä, Mikko; Häme, Silja A. K.; Hao, Liqing; Duplissy, Jonathan; Heikkinen, Liine M.; Nie, Wei; Mikkilä, Jyri; Kulmala, Markku; Prisle, Nønne L.; Virtanen, Annele; Ehn, Mikael; Paasonen, Pauli; Worsnop, Douglas R.; Riipinen, Ilona; Petäjä, Tuukka; Kerminen, Veli-Matti

2017-03-01

The volatility distribution of secondary organic aerosols that formed and had undergone aging - i.e., the particle mass fractions of semi-volatile, low-volatility and extremely low volatility organic compounds in the particle phase - was characterized in a boreal forest environment of Hyytiälä, southern Finland. This was done by interpreting field measurements using a volatility tandem differential mobility analyzer (VTDMA) with a kinetic evaporation model. The field measurements were performed during April and May 2014. On average, 40 % of the organics in particles were semi-volatile, 34 % were low-volatility organics and 26 % were extremely low volatility organics. The model was, however, very sensitive to the vaporization enthalpies assumed for the organics (ΔHVAP). The best agreement between the observed and modeled temperature dependence of the evaporation was obtained when effective vaporization enthalpy values of 80 kJ mol-1 were assumed. There are several potential reasons for the low effective enthalpy value, including molecular decomposition or dissociation that might occur in the particle phase upon heating, mixture effects and compound-dependent uncertainties in the mass accommodation coefficient. In addition to the VTDMA-based analysis, semi-volatile and low-volatility organic mass fractions were independently determined by applying positive matrix factorization (PMF) to high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-AMS) data. The factor separation was based on the oxygenation levels of organics, specifically the relative abundance of mass ions at m/z 43 (f43) and m/z 44 (f44). The mass fractions of these two organic groups were compared against the VTDMA-based results. In general, the best agreement between the VTDMA results and the PMF-derived mass fractions of organics was obtained when ΔHVAP = 80 kJ mol-1 was set for all organic groups in the model, with a linear correlation coefficient of around 0.4. However, this still indicates that only about 16 % (R2) of the variation can be explained by the linear regression between the results from these two methods. The prospect of determining of extremely low volatility organic aerosols (ELVOAs) from AMS data using the PMF analysis should be assessed in future studies.

Pyrolytic product characteristics of biosludge from the wastewater treatment plant of a petrochemical industry.

PubMed

Lin, Kuo-Hsiung; Hsu, Hui-Tsung; Ko, Ya-Wen; Shieh, Zhu-Xin; Chiang, Hung-Lung

2009-11-15

Biosludge was produced from the wastewater treatment plant of a petrochemical industry. The element compositions of pyrolytic residues, CO, CO(2), NOx, SOx, total hydrocarbons and detailed volatile organic compounds of pyrolytic gas, and C, H, N, S content and compositions in biofuel were determined in this study. Generally, 75-80% water content in sludge cakes and about 65-70% weight of water vapor and volatile compounds were volatilized during the drying process. Propene, propane, 1-butene, n-butane, isobutene, toluene and benzene were the major volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of the pyrolytic gas, and the concentrations for most of the top 20 VOC species were greater than 5 ppm. C(5)-C(9) compounds contributed 60% by weight of biofuel; 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone was the highest species, accounting for 28-53% of biofuel at various pyrolytic temperatures. Based on the dried residues, there was 8.5-13% weight in pyrolytic residues, 62-82% weight in liquid products (water and crude oil) and 5.8-30% weight in the gas phase after pyrolytic processing at 500-800 degrees C. Finally, 1.5-2.5 wt% liquid fuel was produced after the distillation process. The pyrolytic residues could be reused, the pyrolytic liquid product could be used as a fuel after distillation, and the pyrolytic gas could be recycled in the pyrolytic process to achieve non-toxic discharge and reduce the cost of sludge disposal.

Multiple new-particle growth pathways observed at the US DOE Southern Great Plains field site

DOE PAGES

Hodshire, Anna L.; Lawler, Michael J.; Zhao, Jun; ...

2016-07-28

New-particle formation (NPF) is a significant source of aerosol particles into the atmosphere. However, these particles are initially too small to have climatic importance and must grow, primarily through net uptake of low-volatility species, from diameters  ∼  1 to 30–100 nm in order to potentially impact climate. There are currently uncertainties in the physical and chemical processes associated with the growth of these freshly formed particles that lead to uncertainties in aerosol-climate modeling. Four main pathways for new-particle growth have been identified: condensation of sulfuric-acid vapor (and associated bases when available), condensation of organic vapors, uptake of organic acids through acid–base chemistrymore » in the particle phase, and accretion of organic molecules in the particle phase to create a lower-volatility compound that then contributes to the aerosol mass. The relative importance of each pathway is uncertain and is the focus of this work. The 2013 New Particle Formation Study (NPFS) measurement campaign took place at the DOE Southern Great Plains (SGP) facility in Lamont, Oklahoma, during spring 2013. Measured gas- and particle-phase compositions during these new-particle growth events suggest three distinct growth pathways: (1) growth by primarily organics, (2) growth by primarily sulfuric acid and ammonia, and (3) growth by primarily sulfuric acid and associated bases and organics. To supplement the measurements, we used the particle growth model MABNAG (Model for Acid–Base chemistry in NAnoparticle Growth) to gain further insight into the growth processes on these 3 days at SGP. MABNAG simulates growth from (1) sulfuric-acid condensation (and subsequent salt formation with ammonia or amines), (2) near-irreversible condensation from nonreactive extremely low-volatility organic compounds (ELVOCs), and (3) organic-acid condensation and subsequent salt formation with ammonia or amines. MABNAG is able to corroborate the observed differing growth pathways, while also predicting that ELVOCs contribute more to growth than organic salt formation. However, most MABNAG model simulations tend to underpredict the observed growth rates between 10 and 20 nm in diameter; this underprediction may come from neglecting the contributions to growth from semi-to-low-volatility species or accretion reactions. Our results suggest that in addition to sulfuric acid, ELVOCs are also very important for growth in this rural setting. We discuss the limitations of our study that arise from not accounting for semi- and low-volatility organics, as well as nitrogen-containing species beyond ammonia and amines in the model. Quantitatively understanding the overall budget, evolution, and thermodynamic properties of lower-volatility organics in the atmosphere will be essential for improving global aerosol models.« less

Occurrence and abatement of volatile sulfur compounds during biogas production.

PubMed

Andersson, Fräs Annika T; Karlsson, Anna; Svensson, Bo H; Ejlertsson, Jörgen

2004-07-01

Volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) in biogas originating from a biogas production plant and from a municipal sewage water treatment plant were identified. Samples were taken at various stages of the biogas-producing process, including upgrading the gas to vehicle-fuel quality. Solid-phase microextraction was used for preconcentration of the VSCs, which were subsequently analyzed using gas chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry. Other volatile organic compounds present also were identified. The most commonly occurring VSCs in the biogas were hydrogen sulfide, carbonyl sulfide, methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide, and dimethyl disulfide, and hydrogen sulfide was not always the most abundant sulfur (S) compound. Besides VSCs, oxygenated organic compounds were commonly present (e.g., ketones, alcohols, and esters). The effect of adding iron chloride to the biogas reactor on the occurrence of VSCs also was investigated. It was found that additions of 500-g/m3 substrate gave an optimal removal of VSCs. Also, the use of a prefermentation step could reduce the amount of VSCs formed in the biogas process. Moreover, in the carbon dioxide scrubber used for upgrading the gas, VSCs were removed efficiently, leaving traces (ppbv levels). The scrubber also removed other organic compounds.

Characterization of microbial and chemical composition of shuttle wet waste with permanent gas and volatile organic compound analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, B. V.; Hummerick, M.; Roberts, M. S.; Krumins, V.; Kish, A. L.; Garland, J. L.; Maxwell, S.; Mills, A.

2004-01-01

Solid-waste treatment in space for Advanced Life Support, ALS, applications requires that the material can be safely processed and stored in a confined environment. Many solid-wastes are not stable because they are wet (40-90% moisture) and contain levels of soluble organic compounds that can contribute to the growth of undesirable microorganisms with concomitant production of noxious odors. In the absence of integrated Advanced Life Support systems on orbit, permanent gas, trace volatile organic and microbiological analyses were performed on crew refuse returned from the volume F "wet" trash of three consecutive Shuttle missions (STS-105, 109, and 110). These analyses were designed to characterize the short-term biological stability of the material and assess potential crew risks resulting from microbial decay processes during storage. Waste samples were collected post-orbiter landing and sorted into packaging material, food waste, toilet waste, and bulk liquid fractions deposited during flight in the volume F container. Aerobic and anaerobic microbial loads were determined in each fraction by cultivation on R2A and by acridine orange direct count (AODC). Dry and ash weights were performed to determine both water and organic content of the materials. Experiments to determine the aerobic and anaerobic biostability of refuse stored for varying periods of time were performed by on-line monitoring of CO 2 and laboratory analysis for production of hydrogen sulfide and methane. Volatile organic compounds and permanent gases were analyzed using EPA Method TO15 by USEPA et al. [EPA Method TO15, The Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Ambient Air using SUMMA, Passivated Canister Sampling and Gas Chromatographic Analysis, 1999] with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and by gas chromatography with selective detectors. These baseline measures of waste stream content, labile organics, and microbial load in the volume F Shuttle trash provide data for waste subsystem analysis and atmospheric management within the ALS Project.

Sensitivity of Aerosol Mass and Microphysics to Treatments of Condensational Growth of Secondary Organic Compounds in a Regional Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Topping, D. O.; Lowe, D.; McFiggans, G.; Zaveri, R. A.

2016-12-01

Gas to particle partitioning of atmospheric compounds occurs through disequilibrium mass transfer rather than through instantaneous equilibrium. However, it is common to treat only the inorganic compounds as partitioning dynamically whilst organic compounds, represented by the Volatility Basis Set (VBS), are partitioned instantaneously. In this study we implement a more realistic dynamic partitioning of organic compounds in a regional framework and assess impact on aerosol mass and microphysics. It is also common to assume condensed phase water is only associated with inorganic components. We thus also assess sensitivity to assuming all organics are hygroscopic according to their prescribed molecular weight.For this study we use WRF-Chem v3.4.1, focusing on anthropogenic dominated North-Western Europe. Gas-phase chemistry is represented using CBM-Z whilst aerosol dynamics are simulated using the 8-section MOSAIC scheme, including a 9-bin volatility basis set (VBS) treatment of organic aerosol. Results indicate that predicted mass loadings can vary significantly. Without gas phase ageing of higher volatility compounds, dynamic partitioning always results in lower mass loadings downwind of emission sources. The inclusion of condensed phase water in both partitioning models increases the predicted PM mass, resulting from a larger contribution from higher volatility organics, if present. If gas phase ageing of VBS compounds is allowed to occur in a dynamic model, this can often lead to higher predicted mass loadings, contrary to expected behaviour from a simple non-reactive gas phase box model. As descriptions of aerosol phase processes improve within regional models, the baseline descriptions of partitioning should retain the ability to treat dynamic partitioning of organic compounds. Using our simulations, we discuss whether derived sensitivities to aerosol processes in existing models may be inherently biased.This work was supported by the Nature Environment Research Council within the RONOCO (NE/F004656/1) and CCN-Vol (NE/L007827/1) projects.

Characterization of microbial and chemical composition of shuttle wet waste with permanent gas and volatile organic compound analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peterson, B. V.; Hummerick, M.; Roberts, M. S.; Krumins, V.; Kish, A. L.; Garland, J. L.; Maxwell, S.; Mills, A.

2004-01-01

Solid-waste treatment in space for Advanced Life Support, ALS, applications requires that the material can be safely processed and stored in a confined environment. Many solid-wastes are not stable because they are wet (40-90% moisture) and contain levels of soluble organic compounds that can contribute to the growth of undesirable microorganisms with concomitant production of noxious odors. In the absence of integrated Advanced Life Support systems on orbit, permanent gas, trace volatile organic and microbiological analyses were performed on crew refuse returned from the volume F "wet" trash of three consecutive Shuttle missions (STS-105, 109, and 110). These analyses were designed to characterize the short-term biological stability of the material and assess potential crew risks resulting from microbial decay processes during storage. Waste samples were collected post-orbiter landing and sorted into packaging material, food waste, toilet waste, and bulk liquid fractions deposited during flight in the volume F container. Aerobic and anaerobic microbial loads were determined in each fraction by cultivation on R2A and by acridine orange direct count (AODC). Dry and ash weights were performed to determine both water and organic content of the materials. Experiments to determine the aerobic and anaerobic biostability of refuse stored for varying periods of time were performed by on-line monitoring of CO2 and laboratory analysis for production of hydrogen sulfide and methane. Volatile organic compounds and permanent gases were analyzed using EPA Method TO15 by USEPA et al. [EPA Method TO15, The Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Ambient Air using SUMMA, Passivated Canister Sampling and Gas Chromatographic Analysis,1999] with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and by gas chromatography with selective detectors. These baseline measures of waste stream content, labile organics, and microbial load in the volume F Shuttle trash provide data for waste subsystem analysis and atmospheric management within the ALS Project. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of COSPAR.

Characterization of microbial and chemical composition of shuttle wet waste with permanent gas and volatile organic compound analyses.

PubMed

Peterson, B V; Hummerick, M; Roberts, M S; Krumins, V; Kish, A L; Garland, J L; Maxwell, S; Mills, A

2004-01-01

Solid-waste treatment in space for Advanced Life Support, ALS, applications requires that the material can be safely processed and stored in a confined environment. Many solid-wastes are not stable because they are wet (40-90% moisture) and contain levels of soluble organic compounds that can contribute to the growth of undesirable microorganisms with concomitant production of noxious odors. In the absence of integrated Advanced Life Support systems on orbit, permanent gas, trace volatile organic and microbiological analyses were performed on crew refuse returned from the volume F "wet" trash of three consecutive Shuttle missions (STS-105, 109, and 110). These analyses were designed to characterize the short-term biological stability of the material and assess potential crew risks resulting from microbial decay processes during storage. Waste samples were collected post-orbiter landing and sorted into packaging material, food waste, toilet waste, and bulk liquid fractions deposited during flight in the volume F container. Aerobic and anaerobic microbial loads were determined in each fraction by cultivation on R2A and by acridine orange direct count (AODC). Dry and ash weights were performed to determine both water and organic content of the materials. Experiments to determine the aerobic and anaerobic biostability of refuse stored for varying periods of time were performed by on-line monitoring of CO2 and laboratory analysis for production of hydrogen sulfide and methane. Volatile organic compounds and permanent gases were analyzed using EPA Method TO15 by USEPA et al. [EPA Method TO15, The Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Ambient Air using SUMMA, Passivated Canister Sampling and Gas Chromatographic Analysis,1999] with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and by gas chromatography with selective detectors. These baseline measures of waste stream content, labile organics, and microbial load in the volume F Shuttle trash provide data for waste subsystem analysis and atmospheric management within the ALS Project. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of COSPAR.

Increase in volatilization of organic compounds using air sparging through addition in alcohol in a soil-water system.

PubMed

Chao, Huan-Ping; Hsieh, Lin-Han Chiang; Tran, Hai Nguyen

2018-02-15

This study developed a novel method to promote the remediation efficiency of air sparging. According to the enhanced-volatilization theory presented in this study, selected alcohols added to groundwater can highly enhance the volatilization amounts of organic compounds with high Henry's law constants. In this study, the target organic compounds consisted of n-hexane, n-heptane, benzene, toluene, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, and tetrachloroethene. n-pentanol, n-hexanol, and n-heptanol were used to examine the changes in the volatilization amounts of organic compounds in the given period. Two types of soils with high and low organic matter were applied to evaluate the transport of organic compounds in the soil-water system. The volatilization amounts of the organic compounds increased with increasing alcohol concentrations. The volatilization amounts of the test organic compounds exhibited a decreasing order: n-heptanol>n-hexanol>n-pentanol. When 10mg/L n-heptanol was added to the system, the maximum volatilization enhancement rate was 18-fold higher than that in distilled water. Samples of soil with high organic matter might reduce the volatilization amounts by a factor of 5-10. In the present study, the optimal removal efficiency for aromatic compounds was approximately 98%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Precipitate hydrolysis process for the removal of organic compounds from nuclear waste slurries

DOEpatents

Doherty, Joseph P.; Marek, James C.

1989-01-01

A process for removing organic compounds from a nuclear waste slurry comprising reacting a mixture of radioactive waste precipitate slurry and an acid in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a copper (II) catalyst whereby the organic compounds in the precipitate slurry are hydrolyzed to form volatile organic compounds which are separated from the reacting mixture. The resulting waste slurry, containing less than 10 percent of the orginal organic compounds, is subsequently blended with high level radioactive sludge and transferred to a virtrification facility for processing into borosilicate glass for long-term storage.

Using black soldier fly larvae for processing organic leachates.

PubMed

Popa, Radu; Green, Terrence R

2012-04-01

A large number of biodegradable byproducts including alcohols, soluble saccharides, volatile organic acids, and amines accumulate in the liquid fraction (leachate) produced as vegetal and food scrap waste decomposes. Untreated leachate, because it is rich in nutrients and organic byproducts, has a high chemical oxygen demand and is normally cleared of soluble organic byproducts by mineralization before its discharge into waterways. Mineralizing leachates using chemical and microbial biotechnologies is, however, a lengthy and costly process. We report here that the larvae of the black soldier fly Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), an insect rich in protein and lipids, and having significant commercial value, while feeding and growing off of compost leachate, lowers its chemical oxygen demand relative to that of leachate unexposed to larvae, neutralizes its acidity, and clears it of volatile organic acids, amines, and alcohols. These observations demonstrate that black soldier fly larvae could be used to help offset the cost and clean up of organic solutes in leachate waste streams while recycling carbon, nitrogen, and phosphate into usable and commercially valuable biomass.

Recent advances in understanding secondary organic aerosol: Implications for global climate forcing: Advances in Secondary Organic Aerosol

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shrivastava, Manish; Cappa, Christopher D.; Fan, Jiwen

Anthropogenic emissions and land-use changes have modified atmospheric aerosol concentrations and size distributions over time. Understanding pre-industrial conditions and changes in organic aerosol due to anthropogenic activities is important because these features 1) influence estimates of aerosol radiative forcing and 2) can confound estimates of the historical response of climate to increases in greenhouse gases (e.g. the ‘climate sensitivity’). Secondary organic aerosol (SOA), formed in the atmosphere by oxidation of organic gases, represents a major fraction of global submicron-sized atmospheric organic aerosol. Over the past decade, significant advances in understanding SOA properties and formation mechanisms have occurred through a combinationmore » of laboratory and field measurements, yet current climate models typically do not comprehensively include all important SOA-relevant processes. Therefore, major gaps exist at present between current measurement-based knowledge on the one hand and model implementation of organic aerosols on the other. The critical review herein summarizes some of the important developments in understanding SOA formation that could potentially have large impacts on our understanding of aerosol radiative forcing and climate. We highlight the importance of some recently discovered processes and properties that influence the growth of SOA particles to sizes relevant for clouds and radiative forcing, including: formation of extremely low-volatility organics in the gas-phase; isoprene epoxydiols (IEPOX) multi-phase chemistry; particle-phase oligomerization; and physical properties such as viscosity. In addition, this review also highlights some of the important processes that involve interactions between natural biogenic emissions and anthropogenic emissions, such as the role of sulfate and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) on SOA formation from biogenic volatile organic compounds. Studies that relate the observed evolution of organic aerosol mass and number with knowledge of particle properties such as volatility and viscosity are crucial for improving understanding of non-linear SOA-related processes. For example, useful insights can be attained by combining bottom-up information related to the molecular speciation of gas- and particle-phase precursors with top-down insights on size evolution dynamics of SOA. Continuing efforts are also needed to rank the most influential processes affecting SOA lifecycle, so that these processes can be accurately represented in atmospheric chemistry-climate models.« less

Chemistry and photochemistry of low-volatility organic chemicals on environmental surfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, G.C.; Hebert, V.R.; Zepp, R.G.

Hydrophobic organic xenobiotics such as polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have strong tendencies to sorb on environmental surfaces. This paper summarizes a workshop in which scientists and modelers assembled to discuss nonbiological processes that affect sorption to soil or sediment surfaces and on atmospheric particles. The 20 scientists discussed a variety of topics with a major emphasis on the fate of chlorinated dioxins. The topics include transformation processes, mobility of organic pollutants, fate of organics, and evaluative fate models.

[Characteristics of odors and VOCs from sludge direct drying process].

PubMed

Chen, Wen-He; Deng, Ming-Jia; Luo, Hui; Zhang, Jing-Ying; Ding, Wen-Jie; Liu, Jun-Xin; Liu, Jun-Xin

2014-08-01

Co-processing sewage sludge by using the high-temperature feature of cement kiln can realize harmless disposal and energy recycling. In this paper, investigation on characteristics of the flue gas from sludge drying process was carried out in Guangzhou Heidelberg Yuexiu Cement Co., LTD. The composition and the main source of odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted during the drying process were analyzed, aimed to provide scientific basis for the treatment of sewage sludge. Results showed that there were a large number of malodorous substances and VOCs in the flue gas. Sulfur dioxide and other sulfur-containing compounds were the main components in the malodorous substances, while benzene derivatives were predominant in VOCs. The compositions of odors and VOCs were influenced by the characteristics of the sludge and the heat medium (kiln tail gas). Total organic compounds in the sludge were significantly decreased after drying. Other organic substances such as volatile fatty acid, protein, and polysaccharide were also obviously reduced. The organic matter in sludge was the main source of VOCs in the flue gas. Part of sulfurous substances, such as sulfur dioxide, carbon disulfide, were from sulfur-containing substances in the sludge, and the rest were from the kiln tail gas itself.

Volatile organic compound sensor system

DOEpatents

Schabron, John F [Laramie, WY; Rovani, Jr., Joseph F.; Bomstad, Theresa M [Laramie, WY; Sorini-Wong, Susan S [Laramie, WY

2009-02-10

Generally, this invention relates to the development of field monitoring methodology for new substances and sensing chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and terrorist substances. It also relates to a portable test kit which may be utilized to measure concentrations of halogenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the field. Specifically it relates to systems for reliably field sensing the potential presence of such items while also distinguishing them from other elements potentially present. It also relates to overall systems and processes for sensing, reacting, and responding to an indicated presence of such substance, including modifications of existing halogenated sensors and arrayed sensing systems and methods.

Volatile organic compound sensor system

DOEpatents

Schabron, John F.; Rovani, Jr., Joseph F.; Bomstad, Theresa M.; Sorini-Wong, Susan S.; Wong, Gregory K.

2011-03-01

Generally, this invention relates to the development of field monitoring methodology for new substances and sensing chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and terrorist substances. It also relates to a portable test kit which may be utilized to measure concentrations of halogenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the field. Specifically it relates to systems for reliably field sensing the potential presence of such items while also distinguishing them from other elements potentially present. It also relates to overall systems and processes for sensing, reacting, and responding to an indicated presence of such substance, including modifications of existing halogenated sensors and arrayed sensing systems and methods.

Large-area, flexible imaging arrays constructed by light-charge organic memories

PubMed Central

Zhang, Lei; Wu, Ti; Guo, Yunlong; Zhao, Yan; Sun, Xiangnan; Wen, Yugeng; Yu, Gui; Liu, Yunqi

2013-01-01

Existing organic imaging circuits, which offer attractive benefits of light weight, low cost and flexibility, are exclusively based on phototransistor or photodiode arrays. One shortcoming of these photo-sensors is that the light signal should keep invariant throughout the whole pixel-addressing and reading process. As a feasible solution, we synthesized a new charge storage molecule and embedded it into a device, which we call light-charge organic memory (LCOM). In LCOM, the functionalities of photo-sensor and non-volatile memory are integrated. Thanks to the deliberate engineering of electronic structure and self-organization process at the interface, 92% of the stored charges, which are linearly controlled by the quantity of light, retain after 20000 s. The stored charges can also be non-destructively read and erased by a simple voltage program. These results pave the way to large-area, flexible imaging circuits and demonstrate a bright future of small molecular materials in non-volatile memory. PMID:23326636

Analysis of volatile organic compounds. [trace amounts of organic volatiles in gas samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zlatkis, A. (Inventor)

1977-01-01

An apparatus and method are described for reproducibly analyzing trace amounts of a large number of organic volatiles existing in a gas sample. Direct injection of the trapped volatiles into a cryogenic percolum provides a sharply defined plug. Applications of the method include: (1) analyzing the headspace gas of body fluids and comparing a profile of the organic volatiles with standard profiles for the detection and monitoring of disease; (2) analyzing the headspace gas of foods and beverages and comparing the profile with standard profiles to monitor and control flavor and aroma; and (3) analyses for determining the organic pollutants in air or water samples.

Surface microlayer enrichment of volatile organic compounds and semi-volatile organic compounds in drinking water source.

PubMed

Huang, Zhi; Zhou, Wen; Yu, Ya-juan; Zhang, Ai-qian; Han, Shuo-kui; Wang, Lian-sheng

2004-01-01

Enrichment of volatile organic compounds(VOC) and semi-volatility organic compounds(SVOC) in surface microlayer(SM) of three drinking water sources were studied. The enrichment factor(EFs) were 0.67 to 13.37 and 0.16 to 136, respectively. The results showed some VOC and most SVOC could enrich in SM. Some EFs of SVOC was quite high. Suspension and temperature could affect EFs of SVOC, slim wind and water movement do not destroy enrichment of organic in SM.

Multi-Capillary Column-Ion Mobility Spectrometry of Volatile Metabolites Emitted by Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

PubMed Central

Halbfeld, Christoph; Ebert, Birgitta E.; Blank, Lars M.

2014-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced during microbial fermentations determine the flavor of fermented food and are of interest for the production of fragrances or food additives. However, the microbial synthesis of these compounds from simple carbon sources has not been well investigated so far. Here, we analyzed the headspace over glucose minimal salt medium cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae using multi-capillary column-ion mobility spectrometry (MCC-IMS). The high sensitivity and fast data acquisition of the MCC-IMS enabled online analysis of the fermentation off-gas and 19 specific signals were determined. To four of these volatile compounds, we could assign the metabolites ethanol, 2-pentanone, isobutyric acid, and 2,3-hexanedione by MCC-IMS measurements of pure standards and cross validation with thermal desorption–gas chromatography-mass spectrometry measurements. Despite the huge biochemical knowledge of the biochemistry of the model organism S. cerevisiae, only the biosynthetic pathways for ethanol and isobutyric acid are fully understood, demonstrating the considerable lack of research of volatile metabolites. As monitoring of VOCs produced during microbial fermentations can give valuable insight into the metabolic state of the organism, fast and non-invasive MCC-IMS analyses provide valuable data for process control. PMID:25197771

40 CFR 60.441 - Definitions and symbols.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... Fugitive volatile organic compounds means any volatile organic compounds which are emitted from the coating... capture fugitive volatile organic compounds. Oven means a chamber which uses heat or irradiation to bake... or label product. Solvent applied in the coating means all organic solvent contained in the adhesive...

40 CFR 60.441 - Definitions and symbols.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

.... Fugitive volatile organic compounds means any volatile organic compounds which are emitted from the coating... capture fugitive volatile organic compounds. Oven means a chamber which uses heat or irradiation to bake... or label product. Solvent applied in the coating means all organic solvent contained in the adhesive...

40 CFR 60.441 - Definitions and symbols.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

.... Fugitive volatile organic compounds means any volatile organic compounds which are emitted from the coating... capture fugitive volatile organic compounds. Oven means a chamber which uses heat or irradiation to bake... or label product. Solvent applied in the coating means all organic solvent contained in the adhesive...

40 CFR 60.441 - Definitions and symbols.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... = the weight fraction of organics applied of each coating (i) applied during a calendar month as.... Fugitive volatile organic compounds means any volatile organic compounds which are emitted from the coating... capture fugitive volatile organic compounds. Oven means a chamber which uses heat or irradiation to bake...

40 CFR 63.4351 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... the organic HAP emissions reductions by applying the volatile organic matter collection and recovery... cumulative amount of volatile organic matter recovered by the solvent recovery system for the compliance... of the mass of volatile organic matter recovered. (ii) For each solvent recovery system, determine...

40 CFR 63.3961 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... balances, calculate the organic HAP emission reduction by applying the volatile organic matter collection... device that indicates the cumulative amount of volatile organic matter recovered by the solvent recovery....0 percent of the mass of volatile organic matter recovered. (2) For each solvent recovery system...

40 CFR 63.3961 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... balances, calculate the organic HAP emission reduction by applying the volatile organic matter collection... device that indicates the cumulative amount of volatile organic matter recovered by the solvent recovery....0 percent of the mass of volatile organic matter recovered. (2) For each solvent recovery system...

40 CFR 63.4351 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the organic HAP emissions reductions by applying the volatile organic matter collection and recovery... cumulative amount of volatile organic matter recovered by the solvent recovery system for the compliance... of the mass of volatile organic matter recovered. (ii) For each solvent recovery system, determine...

40 CFR 63.4351 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... the organic HAP emissions reductions by applying the volatile organic matter collection and recovery... cumulative amount of volatile organic matter recovered by the solvent recovery system for the compliance... of the mass of volatile organic matter recovered. (ii) For each solvent recovery system, determine...

Electromagnetic mixed waste processing system for asbestos decontamination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kasevich, R.S.; Vaux, W.; Ulerich, N.

The overall objective of this three-phase program is to develop an integrated process for treating asbestos-containing material that is contaminated with radioactive and hazardous constituents. The integrated process will attempt to minimize processing and disposal costs. The objectives of Phase 1 were to establish the technical feasibility of asbestos decomposition, inorganic radionuclide nd heavy metal removal, and organic volatilization. Phase 1 resulted in the successful bench-scale demonstration of the elements required to develop a mixed waste treatment process for asbestos-containing material (ACM) contaminated with radioactive metals, heavy metals, and organics. Using the Phase 1 data, a conceptual process was developed.more » The Phase 2 program, currently in progress, is developing an integrated system design for ACM waste processing. The Phase 3 program will target demonstration of the mixed waste processing system at a DOE facility. The electromagnetic mixed waste processing system employs patented technologies to convert DOE asbestos to a non-hazardous, radionuclide-free, stable waste. The dry, contaminated asbestos is initially heated with radiofrequency energy to remove organic volatiles. Second,the radionuclides are removed by solvent extraction coupled with ion exchange solution treatment. Third, the ABCOV method converts the asbestos to an amorphous silica suspension at low temperature (100{degrees}C). Finally the amorphous silica is solidified for disposal.« less

The Measurement of Atmospheric Concentrations and Deposition of Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, David S.; Nicholson, Ken W.

1994-01-01

Provides a physical description of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), both in terms of their characteristic nature in the atmosphere and the processes which control their deposition. Contains a summary of the requirements for a full assessment of atmospheric SVOCs and their deposition. (LZ)

40 CFR 60.707 - Chemicals affected by subpart RRR.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Reactor Processes § 60... 40 Protection of Environment 7 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Chemicals affected by subpart RRR. 60...

Water-quality assessment of south-central Texas: Occurrence and distribution of volatile organic compounds in surface water and ground water, 1983-94, and implications for future monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ging, P.B.; Judd, L.J.; Wynn, K.H.

1997-01-01

The study area of the South-Central Texas study unit of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program comprises the Edwards aquifer in the San Antonio region and its catchment area. The first phase of the assessment includes evaluation of existing water-quality data for surface water and ground water, including volatile organic compounds, to determine the scope of planned monitoring. Most analyses of volatile organic compounds in surface water are from the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System sites in San Antonio, Texas. Nine volatile organic compounds were detected at the six sites. The three compounds with the most detections at National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System sites are 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, toluene, and xylene. Analysis of volatile organic compounds in ground water was limited to Edwards aquifer wells. Twenty-eight volatile organic compounds were detected in samples from 89 wells. The five most commonly detected compounds in samples from wells, in descending order, are tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, bromoform, chloroform, and dibromochloromethane. Detections of volatile organic compounds in surface water and ground water within the South-Central Texas study area are limited to site-specific sources associated with development; therefore, planned monitoring for possible detections of volatile organic compounds as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program will emphasize areas of expanding population and development. Monitoring of volatile organic compounds is planned at National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System sites, at basic fixed surface-water sites, and in the ground-water study-unit surveys.

Modeling the formation and properties of traditional and non-traditional secondary organic aerosol: problem formulation and application to aircraft exhaust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jathar, S. H.; Miracolo, M. A.; Presto, A. A.; Donahue, N. M.; Adams, P. J.; Robinson, A. L.

2012-10-01

We present a methodology to model secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from the photo-oxidation of unspeciated low-volatility organics (semi-volatile and intermediate volatile organic compounds) emitted by combustion systems. It is formulated using the volatility basis-set approach. Unspeciated low-volatility organics are classified by volatility and then allowed to react with the hydroxyl radical. The new methodology allows for larger reductions in volatility with each oxidation step than previous volatility basis set models, which is more consistent with the addition of common functional groups and similar to those used by traditional SOA models. The methodology is illustrated using data collected during two field campaigns that characterized the atmospheric evolution of dilute gas-turbine engine emissions using a smog chamber. In those experiments, photo-oxidation formed a significant amount of SOA, much of which could not be explained based on the emissions of traditional speciated precursors; we refer to the unexplained SOA as non-traditional SOA (NT-SOA). The NT-SOA can be explained by emissions of unspeciated low-volatility organics measured using sorbents. We show that the parameterization proposed by Robinson et al. (2007) is unable to explain the timing of the NT-SOA formation in the aircraft experiments because it assumes a very modest reduction in volatility of the precursors with every oxidation reaction. In contrast the new method better reproduces the NT-SOA formation. The NT-SOA yields estimated for the unspeciated low-volatility organic emissions in aircraft exhaust are similar to literature data for large n-alkanes and other low-volatility organics. The estimated yields vary with fuel composition (Jet Propellent-8 versus Fischer-Tropsch) and engine load (ground idle versus non-ground idle). The framework developed here is suitable for modeling SOA formation from emissions from other combustion systems.

40 CFR 63.3541 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... volatile organic matter collection and recovery efficiency to the mass of organic HAP contained in the... indicates the cumulative amount of volatile organic matter recovered by the solvent recovery system each month. (2) For each solvent recovery system, determine the mass of volatile organic matter recovered for...

40 CFR 63.3541 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... volatile organic matter collection and recovery efficiency to the mass of organic HAP contained in the... indicates the cumulative amount of volatile organic matter recovered by the solvent recovery system each month. (2) For each solvent recovery system, determine the mass of volatile organic matter recovered for...

40 CFR 63.3541 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... volatile organic matter collection and recovery efficiency to the mass of organic HAP contained in the... indicates the cumulative amount of volatile organic matter recovered by the solvent recovery system each month. (2) For each solvent recovery system, determine the mass of volatile organic matter recovered for...

Recent advances in understanding secondary organic aerosol: Implications for global climate forcing: Advances in Secondary Organic Aerosol

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shrivastava, Manish; Cappa, Christopher D.; Fan, Jiwen

Anthropogenic emissions and land use changes have modified atmospheric aerosol concentrations and size distributions over time. Understanding preindustrial conditions and changes in organic aerosol due to anthropogenic activities is important because these features (1) influence estimates of aerosol radiative forcing and (2) can confound estimates of the historical response of climate to increases in greenhouse gases. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA), formed in the atmosphere by oxidation of organic gases, represents a major fraction of global submicron-sized atmospheric organic aerosol. Over the past decade, significant advances in understanding SOA properties and formation mechanisms have occurred through measurements, yet current climate modelsmore » typically do not comprehensively include all important processes. Our review summarizes some of the important developments during the past decade in understanding SOA formation. We also highlight the importance of some processes that influence the growth of SOA particles to sizes relevant for clouds and radiative forcing, including formation of extremely low volatility organics in the gas phase, acid-catalyzed multiphase chemistry of isoprene epoxydiols, particle-phase oligomerization, and physical properties such as volatility and viscosity. Several SOA processes highlighted in this review are complex and interdependent and have nonlinear effects on the properties, formation, and evolution of SOA. Current global models neglect this complexity and nonlinearity and thus are less likely to accurately predict the climate forcing of SOA and project future climate sensitivity to greenhouse gases. Efforts are also needed to rank the most influential processes and nonlinear process-related interactions, so that these processes can be accurately represented in atmospheric chemistry-climate models.« less

Recent advances in understanding secondary organic aerosol: Implications for global climate forcing: Advances in Secondary Organic Aerosol

DOE PAGES

Shrivastava, Manish; Cappa, Christopher D.; Fan, Jiwen; ...

2017-06-15

Anthropogenic emissions and land use changes have modified atmospheric aerosol concentrations and size distributions over time. Understanding preindustrial conditions and changes in organic aerosol due to anthropogenic activities is important because these features (1) influence estimates of aerosol radiative forcing and (2) can confound estimates of the historical response of climate to increases in greenhouse gases. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA), formed in the atmosphere by oxidation of organic gases, represents a major fraction of global submicron-sized atmospheric organic aerosol. Over the past decade, significant advances in understanding SOA properties and formation mechanisms have occurred through measurements, yet current climate modelsmore » typically do not comprehensively include all important processes. Our review summarizes some of the important developments during the past decade in understanding SOA formation. We also highlight the importance of some processes that influence the growth of SOA particles to sizes relevant for clouds and radiative forcing, including formation of extremely low volatility organics in the gas phase, acid-catalyzed multiphase chemistry of isoprene epoxydiols, particle-phase oligomerization, and physical properties such as volatility and viscosity. Several SOA processes highlighted in this review are complex and interdependent and have nonlinear effects on the properties, formation, and evolution of SOA. Current global models neglect this complexity and nonlinearity and thus are less likely to accurately predict the climate forcing of SOA and project future climate sensitivity to greenhouse gases. Efforts are also needed to rank the most influential processes and nonlinear process-related interactions, so that these processes can be accurately represented in atmospheric chemistry-climate models.« less

Synthetic Fiber Production Facilities: New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

These standards limits emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from new and reconstructed synthetic fiber production facilities that use solvent-spinning processes. Includes rule history and summary.

SEPARATIONS RESEARCH AT THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY - TOWARDS RECOVERY OF VOCS AND METALS USING MEMBRANES AND ADSORPTION PROCESSES

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory is investigating new separations materials and processes for removal and recovery of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and toxic metals from wastestreams and industrial process streams. Research applying membrane-based perv...

Demonstration of organic volatile decomposition and bacterial sterilization by miniature dielectric barrier discharges on low-temperature cofired ceramic electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Duk-jae; Shim, Yeun-keun; Park, Jeongwon; Kim, Hyung-jun; Han, Jeon-geon

2016-04-01

Nonthermal atmospheric-pressure plasma discharge is designed with low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) electrodes to achieve dielectric barrier surface discharge (DBSD). The environmental requirement (below 0.05 ppm) of the amount of byproducts (ozone and NO x ) produced during the process was met by optimizing the electrode design to produce a high dielectric barrier discharge for low-voltage (∼700 V) operation and minimizing the distance between electrodes to improve the plasma discharging efficiency. The concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) within interior cabins of commercial vehicles were significantly reduced after 1-h treatment to improve air quality cost-effectively. This atmospheric-pressure plasma process was demonstrated for the sterilization of Escherichia coli to prevent food poisoning during the preservation of food in refrigerators.

[Treatment of Flue Gas from Sludge Drying Process by A Thermophilic Biofilter].

PubMed

Chen, Wen-he; Deng, Ming-jia; Luo, Hui; Ding, Wen-iie; Li, Lin; Lin, Jian; Liu, Jun-xin

2016-01-15

A thermophilic biofilter was employed to treat the flue gas generated from sludge drying process, and the performance in both the start period and the stationary phase was studied under the gas flow rate of 2 700-3 100 m3 x h(-1) and retention time of 21.88-25.10 s. The results showed that the thermophilic biofilter could effectively treat gases containing sulfur dioxide, ammonia and volatile organic compounds (VOC). The removal efficiencies could reach 100%, 93.61% and 87.01%, respectively. Microbial analysis indicated that most of the population belonged to thermophilic bacteria. Paenibacillus sp., Chelatococcus sp., Bacillus sp., Clostridium thermosuccinogenes, Pseudoxanthomonas sp. and Geobacillus debilis which were abundant in the thermophilic biofilter, had the abilities of denitrification, desulfurization and degradation of volatile organic compounds.

Precipitate hydrolysis process for the removal of organic compounds from nuclear waste slurries

DOEpatents

Doherty, J.P.; Marek, J.C.

1987-02-25

A process for removing organic compounds from a nuclear waste slurry comprising reacting a mixture of radioactive waste precipitate slurry and an acid in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a copper(II) catalyst whereby the organic compounds in the precipitate slurry are hydrolyzed to form volatile organic compounds which are separated from the reacting mixture. The resulting waste slurry, containing less than 10 percent of the original organic compounds, is subsequently blended with high level radioactive sludge land transferred to a vitrification facility for processing into borosilicate glass for long-term storage. 2 figs., 3 tabs.

Direct screening and confirmation of priority volatile organic pollutants in drinking water.

PubMed

Caro, J; Serrano, A; Gallego, M

2007-01-05

A screening tool was proposed for the rapid detection of eight priority volatile organic pollutants according to European standards in drinking water. The method is based on the direct coupling of a headspace sampler with a mass spectrometer, using a chromatographic column heated to 175 degrees C as an interface. The water sample was subjected to the headspace extraction process and the volatile fraction was introduced directly into the mass spectrometer, without prior chromatographic separation, achieving low detection limits (0.6-1.2 ng/ml) for all compounds. The mass spectrum resulting from the simultaneous ionization and fragmentation of the mixture of molecules constitutes the volatile profile of each sample. An appropriate chemometric treatment of these signals permitted them to be classified, on the basis of their volatile composition, as contaminated or uncontaminated with respect to the legally established concentration levels for these compounds in drinking water, and providing no false negatives. A conventional confirmation method was carried out to analyze positive water samples by using the same instrumental setup as in the screening method, but using an appropriate temperature program in the chromatographic column to separate, identify and quantify each analyte.

Performance characterization of water recovery and water quality from chemical/organic waste products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moses, W. M.; Rogers, T. D.; Chowdhury, H.; Cullingford, H. S.

1989-01-01

The water reclamation subsystems currently being evaluated for the Space Shuttle Freedom are briefly reviewed with emphasis on a waste water management system capable of processing wastes containing high concentrations of organic/inorganic materials. The process combines low temperature/pressure to vaporize water with high temperature catalytic oxidation to decompose volatile organics. The reclaimed water is of potable quality and has high potential for maintenance under sterile conditions. Results from preliminary experiments and modifications in process and equipment required to control reliability and repeatability of system operation are presented.

ESTIMATING PERCENT REMOVAL FOR A SOIL VENTING PROJECT.

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA allowed the Performing Parties (PPs) to perform a soil vapor extraction process to a site contaminated by volatile organic compounds (VOC), contingent upon the process reducing the VOC concentrations in the soil by 75% within one year. An innovative injection-extraction...

TEMPORAL VARIABILITY MEASUREMENT OF SPECIFIC VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

Methodology was developed to determine unambiguously trace levels of volatile organic compounds as they vary in concentration over a variety of time scales. his capability is important because volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are usually measure by time-integrative techniques th...

Semi-continuous anaerobic co-digestion of sugar beet byproduct and pig manure: Effect of the organic loading rate (OLR) on process performance.

PubMed

Aboudi, Kaoutar; Álvarez-Gallego, Carlos José; Romero-García, Luis Isidoro

2015-10-01

Anaerobic co-digestion of dried pellet of exhausted sugar beet cossettes (ESBC-DP) with pig manure (PM) was investigated in a semi-continuous stirred tank reactor (SSTR) under mesophilic conditions. Seven hydraulic retention times (HRT) from 20 to 5 days were tested with the aim to evaluate the methane productivities and volatile solids (VS) removal. The corresponding organic loading rates (OLR) ranged from 4.2 to 12.8 gVS/L(reactor) d. The findings revealed that highest system efficiency was achieved at an OLR of 11.2 gVS/L(reactor) d (6 days-HRT) with a methane production rate (MPR) and volatile solids (VS) reduction of 2.91 LCH4/L(reactor) d and 57.5%, respectively. The HRT of 5 days was found critical for the studied process, which leads to volatile fatty acids (VFA) accumulation and sharp drop in pH. However, the increase of HRT permits the recovery of system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 60.705 - Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Reactor... used or where the reactor process vent stream is introduced as the primary fuel to any size boiler or... equipment or reactors; (2) Any recalculation of the TRE index value performed pursuant to § 60.704(f); and...

40 CFR 60.705 - Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI) Reactor... used or where the reactor process vent stream is introduced as the primary fuel to any size boiler or... equipment or reactors; (2) Any recalculation of the TRE index value performed pursuant to § 60.704(f); and...

CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGANIC EMISSIONS FROM HAZARDOUS WASTE INCINERATION PROCESSES UNDER THE NEW EPA DRAFT RISK BURN GUIDANCE: MEASUREMENT ISSUES

EPA Science Inventory

EPA's recently published draft Risk Burn Guidance recommends that hazardous waste combustion facilities complete a mass balance of the total organics (TOs) that may be emitted from the combustor. TOs, consisting of three distinct fractions (volatile, semivolatile, and nonvolatile...

EPA/NSF ETV Equipment Verification Testing Plan for the Removal of Volatile Organic Chemical Contaminants by Adsorptive Media Processes

EPA Science Inventory

This document is the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Technology Specific Test Plan (TSTP) for evaluation of drinking water treatment equipment utilizing adsorptive media for synthetic organic chemical (SOC) removal. This TSTP is to be used within the structure provid...

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY REPORT: DESTRUCTION OF ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS IN AIR USING ADVANCED ULTRAVIOLET FLASHLAMPS

EPA Science Inventory

This paper describes a new process for photo-oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air using an advanced ultraviolet source, a Purus xenon flashlamp. The flashlamps have greater output at 200-250 nm than medium-pressure mercury lamps at the same power and therefore ca...

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY Summary. CROSS-FLOW PERVAPORATION FOR REMOVAL OF VOCS FROM CONTAMINATED WASTEWATER (EPA/540/SR-94/512)

EPA Science Inventory

Pervaporation is a membrane technology using & dense, nonporous polymeric film to separate contaminated water from a vacuum source. The membrane preferentially partitions the volatile organic compounds (VOC) organic phase used In this test This process has proven to be an alterna...

Volatility of organic aerosol and its components in the Megacity of Paris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paciga, A.; Karnezi, E.; Kostenidou, E.; Hildebrandt, L.; Psichoudaki, M.; Engelhart, G. J.; Lee, B.-H.; Crippa, M.; Prévôt, A. S. H.; Baltensperger, U.; Pandis, S. N.

2015-08-01

Using a mass transfer model and the volatility basis set, we estimate the volatility distribution for the organic aerosol (OA) components during summer and winter in Paris, France as part of the collaborative project MEGAPOLI. The concentrations of the OA components as a function of temperature were measured combining data from a thermodenuder and an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) with Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) analysis. The hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA) had similar volatility distributions for the summer and winter campaigns with half of the material in the saturation concentration bin of 10 μg m-3 and another 35-40 % consisting of low and extremely low volatility organic compounds (LVOCs and ELVOCs, respectively). The winter cooking OA (COA) was more than an order of magnitude less volatile than the summer COA. The low volatility oxygenated OA (LV-OOA) factor detected in the summer had the lowest volatility of all the derived factors and consisted almost exclusively of ELVOCs. The volatility for the semi-volatile oxygenated OA (SV-OOA) was significantly higher than that of the LV-OOA, containing both semi-volatile organic components (SVOCs) and LVOCs. The oxygenated OA (OOA) factor in winter consisted of SVOCs (45 %), LVOCs (25 %) and ELVOCs (30 %). The volatility of marine OA (MOA) was higher than that of the other factors containing around 60 % SVOCs. The biomass burning OA (BBOA) factor contained components with a wide range of volatilities with significant contributions from both SVOCs (50 %) and LVOCs (30 %). Finally, combining the O : C ratio and volatility distributions of the various factors, we incorporated our results into the two-dimensional volatility basis set (2D-VBS). Our results show that the factors cover a broad spectrum of volatilities with no direct link between the average volatility and average O : C of the OA components. Agreement between our findings and previous publications is encouraging for our understanding of the evolution of atmospheric OA.

BIOCONCENTRATION FACTORS FOR VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN VEGETATION

EPA Science Inventory

Samples of air and leaves were taken at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas campus and analyzed for volatile organic compounds using vacuum distillation coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The data were used to estimate the bioconcentration of volatile organic compo...

Quadruple sulfur isotope constraints on the origin and cycling of volatile organic sulfur compounds in a stratified sulfidic lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oduro, Harry; Kamyshny, Alexey; Zerkle, Aubrey L.; Li, Yue; Farquhar, James

2013-11-01

We have quantified the major forms of volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) distributed in the water column of stratified freshwater Fayetteville Green Lake (FGL), to evaluate the biogeochemical pathways involved in their production. The lake's anoxic deep waters contain high concentrations of sulfate (12-16 mmol L-1) and sulfide (0.12 μmol L-1 to 1.5 mmol L-1) with relatively low VOSC concentrations, ranging from 0.1 nmol L-1 to 2.8 μmol L-1. Sulfur isotope measurements of combined volatile organic sulfur compounds demonstrate that VOSC species are formed primarily from reduced sulfur (H2S/HS-) and zero-valent sulfur (ZVS), with little input from sulfate. Thedata support a role of a combination of biological and abiotic processes in formation of carbon-sulfur bonds between reactive sulfur species and methyl groups of lignin components. These processes are responsible for very fast turnover of VOSC species, maintaining their low levels in FGL. No dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) was detected by Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS) in the lake water column or in planktonic extracts. These observations indicate a pathway distinct from oceanic and coastal marine environments, where dimethylsulfide (DMS) and other VOSC species are principally produced via the breakdown of DMSP by plankton species.

CAV-OX CAVITATION OXIDIATION PROCESS - MAGNUM WATER TECHNOLOGY, INC. - APPLICATIONS ANALYSIS REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

This report evaluates the ability of the CAV-OX cavitation oxidation process to remove volatile organic compounds (VOC) present in aqueous wastes. This report also presents economic data based on the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program demonstration and nine...

STATISTICAL SAMPLING APPROACH FOR CLOSING A SOIL VENTING SITE

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA allowed the Performing Parties (PPs) to perform a soil vapor extraction process to a site contaminated by volatile organic compounds (VOC), contingent upon the process reducing the VOC concentrations in the soil by 75% within one year. An innovative injection-extraction...

HYPERTENSIVE AND TACHYCARDIC RESPONSES TO ORAL TOLUENE IN THE RAT.

EPA Science Inventory

Little is known regarding the effects of toluene and other volatile organic compounds on autonomic processes. Such studies should be performed in unrestrained and undisturbed animals to avoid the effects of handling stress on processes regulated by the autonomic nervous system. T...

Instrumentation for studying binder burnout in an immobilized plutonium ceramic wasteform

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mitchell, M; Pugh, D; Herman, C

The Plutonium Immobilization Program produces a ceramic wasteform that utilizes organic binders. Several techniques and instruments were developed to study binder burnout on full size ceramic samples in a production environment. This approach provides a method for developing process parameters on production scale to optimize throughput, product quality, offgas behavior, and plant emissions. These instruments allow for offgas analysis, large-scale TGA, product quality observation, and thermal modeling. Using these tools, results from lab-scale techniques such as laser dilametry studies and traditional TGA/DTA analysis can be integrated. Often, the sintering step of a ceramification process is the limiting process step thatmore » controls the production throughput. Therefore, optimization of sintering behavior is important for overall process success. Furthermore, the capabilities of this instrumentation allows better understanding of plant emissions of key gases: volatile organic compounds (VOCs), volatile inorganics including some halide compounds, NO{sub x}, SO{sub x}, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide.« less

40 CFR 52.2420 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Enforceable, Implementation Plan, Potential to Emit, State Enforceable, Volatile Organic Compound 4/1/96 3/12..., Regulation of the Board, These regulations. Terms Revised—Good Engineering Practice, Person, Volatile organic... pressure, Vapor pressure, Volatile organic compounds. Terms Removed: Air Quality Maintenance Area. 5-10-20...

75 FR 2090 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Volatile Organic Compound...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-14

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Volatile Organic Compound Automobile Refinishing... automobile refinishing rule for approval into its State Implementation Plan (SIP). These rule revisions extend the applicability of Indiana's approved volatile organic compound (VOC) automobile refinishing...

SEMI-VOLATILE ORGANIC ACIDS AND OTHER POLAR COMPOUNDS COLLECTED IN NEW YORK CITY IN RESPONSE TO THE EVENTS OF 9/11

EPA Science Inventory

Concentrations of over 25 polar semi-volatile and non-volatile organic compounds were measured in Lower Manhattan, New York using a high capacity Integrated Organic Gas and Particle sampler, after the initial destruction of the World Trade Center. The polar organic compounds in...

A Comparison of Parameterizations of Secondary Organic Aerosol Production: Global Budget and Spatiotemporal Variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Chen, Z.; Horowitz, L. W.; Carlton, A. M. G.; Fan, S.; Cheng, Y.; Ervens, B.; Fu, T. M.; He, C.; Tao, S.

2014-12-01

Secondary organic aerosols (SOA) have a profound influence on air quality and climate, but large uncertainties exist in modeling SOA on the global scale. In this study, five SOA parameterization schemes, including a two-product model (TPM), volatility basis-set (VBS) and three cloud SOA schemes (Ervens et al. (2008, 2014), Fu et al. (2008) , and He et al. (2013)), are implemented into the global chemical transport model (MOZART-4). For each scheme, model simulations are conducted with identical boundary and initial conditions. The VBS scheme produces the highest global annual SOA production (close to 35 Tg·y-1), followed by three cloud schemes (26-30 Tg·y-1) and TPM (23 Tg·y-1). Though sharing a similar partitioning theory to the TPM scheme, the VBS approach simulates the chemical aging of multiple generations of VOCs oxidation products, resulting in a much larger SOA source, particularly from aromatic species, over Europe, the Middle East and Eastern America. The formation of SOA in VBS, which represents the net partitioning of semi-volatile organic compounds from vapor to condensed phase, is highly sensitivity to the aging and wet removal processes of vapor-phase organic compounds. The production of SOA from cloud processes (SOAcld) is constrained by the coincidence of liquid cloud water and water-soluble organic compounds. Therefore, all cloud schemes resolve a fairly similar spatial pattern over the tropical and the mid-latitude continents. The spatiotemporal diversity among SOA parameterizations is largely driven by differences in precursor inputs. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the evolution, wet removal, and phase partitioning of semi-volatile organic compounds, particularly above remote land and oceanic areas, is critical to better constrain the global-scale distribution and related climate forcing of secondary organic aerosols.

Global volatile profile of virgin olive oils flavoured by aromatic/medicinal plants.

PubMed

Perestrelo, R; Silva, C; Silva, P; Câmara, J S

2017-07-15

The global volatile profile of commercial virgin olive oils and flavoured olive oils with aromatic/medicinal plants, was established using liquid-liquid microextraction (LLME) and headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-qMS). More than 60 volatile organic compounds (VOCs belonging to different groups were identified using both methods. Olive oils volatile profile was slightly influenced by maceration process, which occurred at room temperature (20±2°C) for 15days. The predominant differences were observed in terpenoids group, since some of them were only identified in the flavoured olive oils, while others showed an increase with the maceration process. VOCs mass transfer from plants to olive oils could explain the observed results. Principal components analysis (PCA) applied to LLME/GC-qMS data allowed to distinguish the olive oils. The flavoured oils would increase the use of olive oil among consumers as consequence of the improvement of its aromatic profile and healthy properties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recent advances in understanding secondary organic aerosol: Implications for global climate forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrivastava, Manish; Cappa, Christopher D.; Fan, Jiwen; Goldstein, Allen H.; Guenther, Alex B.; Jimenez, Jose L.; Kuang, Chongai; Laskin, Alexander; Martin, Scot T.; Ng, Nga Lee; Petaja, Tuukka; Pierce, Jeffrey R.; Rasch, Philip J.; Roldin, Pontus; Seinfeld, John H.; Shilling, John; Smith, James N.; Thornton, Joel A.; Volkamer, Rainer; Wang, Jian; Worsnop, Douglas R.; Zaveri, Rahul A.; Zelenyuk, Alla; Zhang, Qi

2017-06-01

Anthropogenic emissions and land use changes have modified atmospheric aerosol concentrations and size distributions over time. Understanding preindustrial conditions and changes in organic aerosol due to anthropogenic activities is important because these features (1) influence estimates of aerosol radiative forcing and (2) can confound estimates of the historical response of climate to increases in greenhouse gases. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA), formed in the atmosphere by oxidation of organic gases, represents a major fraction of global submicron-sized atmospheric organic aerosol. Over the past decade, significant advances in understanding SOA properties and formation mechanisms have occurred through measurements, yet current climate models typically do not comprehensively include all important processes. This review summarizes some of the important developments during the past decade in understanding SOA formation. We highlight the importance of some processes that influence the growth of SOA particles to sizes relevant for clouds and radiative forcing, including formation of extremely low volatility organics in the gas phase, acid-catalyzed multiphase chemistry of isoprene epoxydiols, particle-phase oligomerization, and physical properties such as volatility and viscosity. Several SOA processes highlighted in this review are complex and interdependent and have nonlinear effects on the properties, formation, and evolution of SOA. Current global models neglect this complexity and nonlinearity and thus are less likely to accurately predict the climate forcing of SOA and project future climate sensitivity to greenhouse gases. Efforts are also needed to rank the most influential processes and nonlinear process-related interactions, so that these processes can be accurately represented in atmospheric chemistry-climate models.

Plant leaf traits, canopy processes, and global atmospheric chemistry interactions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guenther, A. B.

2017-12-01

Plants produce and emit a diverse array of volatile metabolites into the atmosphere that participate in chemical reactions that influence distributions of air pollutants and short-lived climate forcers including organic aerosol, ozone and methane. It is now widely accepted that accurate estimates of these emissions are required as inputs for regional air quality and global climate models. Predicting these emissions is complicated by the large number of volatile organic compounds, driving variables (e.g., temperature, solar radiation, abiotic and biotic stresses) and processes operating across a range of scales. Modeling efforts to characterize emission magnitude and variations will be described along with an assessment of the observations available for parameterizing and evaluating these models including discussion of the limitations and challenges associated with existing model approaches. A new approach for simulating canopy scale organic emissions on regional to global scales will be described and compared with leaf, canopy and regional scale flux measurements. The importance of including additional compounds and processes as well as improving estimates of existing ones will also be discussed.

Ozone and OH-induced oxidation of monoterpenes: Changes in the thermal properties of secondary organic aerosol (SOA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watne, Ågot K.; Westerlund, Jonathan; Hallquist, Åsa M.; Brune, William H.; Hallquist, Mattias

2017-12-01

The behaviour of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) in the atmosphere is highly dependent on their thermal properties. Here we investigate the volatility of SOA formed from alpha-pinene, beta-pinene and limonene upon ozone- and OH-induced oxidation, and the effect of OH-induced ageing on the initially produced SOA. For all three terpenes, the ozone-induced SOA was less volatile than the OH-induced SOA. The thermal properties of the SOA were described using three parameters extracted from the volatility measurements: the temperature at which 50 per cent of the volume has evaporated (TVFR0.5), which is used as a general volatility indicator; a slope factor (SVFR), which describes the volatility distribution; and TVFR0.1, which measures the volatility of the least volatile particle fraction. Limonene-derived SOA generally had higher TVFR0.5 values and shallower slopes than SOA derived from alpha- and beta-pinene. This was especially true for the ozone-induced SOA, partially because the ozonolysis of limonene has a strong tendency to cause SOA formation and to produce extremely low volatility VOCs (ELVOCs). Ageing by OH exposure did not reduce TVFR0.5 for any of the studied terpenes but did increase the breadth of the volatility distribution by increasing the aerosols heterogeneity and contents of substances with different vapour pressures, also leading to increases in TVFR0.1. This stands in contrast to previously reported results from smog chamber experiments, in which TVFR0.5 always increased with ageing. These results demonstrate that there are two opposing processes that influence the evolution of SOAs thermal properties as they age, and that results from both flow reactors and static chambers are needed to fully understand the temporal evolution of atmospheric SOA thermal properties.

78 FR 49563 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated; Notice of Proposed...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-14

... futures on all of the volatility indexes that underlie volatility index options trading on CBOE. Currently, volatility index (security) futures expirations correspond to each volatility index options expiration months...-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated; Notice of Proposed Rule To Amend Rule...

REPLACEMENT OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL IN WIDE WEB FLEXOGRAPHIC PRINTING PROCESS

EPA Science Inventory

This study examined on a technical and economic basis, the effect of substituting water-based inks in a flexographic printing process. o reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by switching from the use of solvent-based inks to water based inks, several equipment modific...

REPLACEMENT OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL IN WIDE WEB FLEXOGRAPHIC PRINTING PROCESS

EPA Science Inventory

This study examined on a technical and economic basis, the effect of substituting water-based inks in a flexographic printing process. To reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by switching from the use of solvent-based inks to water based inks, several equipment modifi...

Framework for Site Characterization for Monitored Natural Attenuation of Volatile Organic Compounds in Ground Water

EPA Science Inventory

Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) is unique among remedial technologies in relying entirely on natural processes to achieve site-specific objectives. Site characterization is essential to provide site-specific data and interpretations for the decision-making process (i.e., to ...

78 FR 11618 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans Tennessee: Revisions to Volatile Organic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-19

... Promulgation of Implementation Plans Tennessee: Revisions to Volatile Organic Compound Definition AGENCY..., SIP revision adds 17 compounds to the list of compounds excluded from the definition of ``Volatile Organic Compound''. EPA is approving this SIP revision because the State has demonstrated that it is...

77 FR 52630 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Volatile Organic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-30

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Volatile Organic Compounds; Architectural and... rule that sets emissions limits on the amount of volatile organic compounds in architectural and... period. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time. Please note that...

78 FR 22197 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans for Tennessee: Revisions to Volatile Organic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-15

... Promulgation of Implementation Plans for Tennessee: Revisions to Volatile Organic Compound Definition AGENCY... total of 17 compounds to the list of compounds excluded from the definition of ``Volatile Organic...: Sean Lakeman, Regulatory Development Section, Air Planning Branch, Air, Pesticides and Toxics...

Comprehensive characterization of atmospheric organic carbon at a forested site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunter, James F.; Day, Douglas A.; Palm, Brett B.; Yatavelli, Reddy L. N.; Chan, Arthur W. H.; Kaser, Lisa; Cappellin, Luca; Hayes, Patrick L.; Cross, Eben S.; Carrasquillo, Anthony J.; Campuzano-Jost, Pedro; Stark, Harald; Zhao, Yunliang; Hohaus, Thorsten; Smith, James N.; Hansel, Armin; Karl, Thomas; Goldstein, Allen H.; Guenther, Alex; Worsnop, Douglas R.; Thornton, Joel A.; Heald, Colette L.; Jimenez, Jose L.; Kroll, Jesse H.

2017-10-01

Atmospheric organic compounds are central to key chemical processes that influence air quality, ecological health, and climate. However, longstanding difficulties in predicting important quantities such as organic aerosol formation and oxidant lifetimes indicate that our understanding of atmospheric organic chemistry is fundamentally incomplete, probably due in part to the presence of organic species that are unmeasured using standard analytical techniques. Here we present measurements of a wide range of atmospheric organic compounds--including previously unmeasured species--taken concurrently at a single site (a ponderosa pine forest during summertime) by five state-of-the-art mass spectrometric instruments. The combined data set provides a comprehensive characterization of atmospheric organic carbon, covering a wide range in chemical properties (volatility, oxidation state, and molecular size), and exhibiting no obvious measurement gaps. This enables the first construction of a measurement-based local organic budget, highlighting the high emission, deposition, and oxidation fluxes in this environment. Moreover, previously unmeasured species, including semivolatile and intermediate-volatility organic species (S/IVOCs), account for one-third of the total organic carbon, and (within error) provide closure on both OH reactivity and potential secondary organic aerosol formation.

Volatility of methylglyoxal cloud SOA formed through OH radical oxidation and droplet evaporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz-Montalvo, Diana L.; Schwier, Allison N.; Lim, Yong B.; McNeill, V. Faye; Turpin, Barbara J.

2016-04-01

The volatility of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed through cloud processing (aqueous hydroxyl radical (radOH) oxidation and droplet evaporation) of methylglyoxal (MGly) was studied. Effective vapor pressure and effective enthalpy of vaporization (ΔHvap,eff) were determined using 1) droplets containing MGly and its oxidation products, 2) a Vibrating Orifice Aerosol Generator (VOAG) system, and 3) Temperature Programmed Desorption Aerosol-Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TPD Aerosol-CIMS). Simulated in-cloud MGly oxidation (for 10-30 min) produces an organic mixture of higher and lower volatility components with an overall effective vapor pressure of (4 ± 7) × 10-7 atm at pH 3. The effective vapor pressure decreases by a factor of 2 with addition of ammonium hydroxide (pH 7). The fraction of organic material remaining in the particle-phase after drying was smaller than for similar experiments with glycolaldehyde and glyoxal SOA. The ΔHvap,eff of pyruvic acid and oxalic acid + methylglyoxal in the mixture (from TPD Aerosol-CIMS) were smaller than the theoretical enthalpies of the pure compounds and smaller than that estimated for the entire precursor/product mix after droplet evaporation. After 10-30 min of aqueous oxidation (one cloud cycle) the majority of the MGly + radOH precursor/product mix (even neutralized) will volatilize during droplet evaporation; neutralization and at least 80 min of oxidation at 10-12 M radOH (or >12 h at 10-14 M) is needed before low volatility ammonium oxalate exceeds pyruvate.

Natural attenuation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the leachate plume of a municipal landfill: Using alkylbenzenes as process probes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eganhouse, R.P.; Cozzarelli, I.M.; Scholl, M.A.; Matthews, L.L.

2001-01-01

More than 70 individual VOCs were identified in the leachate plume of a closed municipal landfill. Concentrations were low when compared with data published for other landfills, and total VOCs accounted for less than 0.1% of the total dissolved organic carbon. The VOC concentrations in the core of the anoxic leachate plume are variable, but in all cases they were found to be near or below detection limits within 200 m of the landfall. In contrast to the VOCs, the distributions of chloride ion, a conservative tracer, and nonvolatile dissolved organic carbon, indicate little dilution over the same distance. Thus, natural attentuation processes are effectively limiting migration of the VOC plume. The distribution of C2-3-benzenes, paired on the basis of their octanol-water partition coefficients and Henry's law constants, were systematically evaluated to assess the relative importance of volatilization, sorption, and biodegradation as attenuation mechanisms. Based on our data, biodegradation appears to be the process primarily responsible for the observed attenuation of VOCs at this site. We believe that the alkylbenzenes are powerful process probes that can and should be exploited in studies of natural attenuation in contaminated ground water systems.

40 CFR 60.660 - Applicability and designation of affected facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Performance for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing... section that is part of a process unit that produces any of the chemicals listed in § 60.667 as a product... chemicals produced within that unit of less than one gigagram per year is exempt from all provisions of this...

40 CFR 60.700 - Applicability and designation of affected facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Performance for Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry... part of a process unit that produces any of the chemicals listed in § 60.707 as a product, co-product... design capacity for all chemicals produced within that unit of less than 1 gigagram per year (1,100 tons...

40 CFR 60.660 - Applicability and designation of affected facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Performance for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing... section that is part of a process unit that produces any of the chemicals listed in § 60.667 as a product... chemicals produced within that unit of less than one gigagram per year is exempt from all provisions of this...

40 CFR 60.660 - Applicability and designation of affected facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Performance for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing... section that is part of a process unit that produces any of the chemicals listed in § 60.667 as a product... chemicals produced within that unit of less than one gigagram per year is exempt from all provisions of this...

40 CFR 60.700 - Applicability and designation of affected facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Performance for Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry... part of a process unit that produces any of the chemicals listed in § 60.707 as a product, co-product... design capacity for all chemicals produced within that unit of less than 1 gigagram per year (1,100 tons...

SEMI-VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM VEHICLES POWERED BY GASOLINE, DIESEL AND ALTERNATIVE FUELS: EMISSIONS AND FIELD MEASUREMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

This study will result in the development of a new method for the rapid measurement of SVOCs. The characterization of VOC and SVOC emissions of vehicles with different fuel types will improve our understanding of the processes leading to secondary organic aerosol pollution and...

The effect of mixing ratio variation of sludge and organic solid waste on biodrying process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasution, A. C.; Kristanto, G. A.

2018-01-01

In this study, organic waste was co-biodried with sludge cake to determine which mixing ratio gave the best result. The organic waste was consisted of dried leaves and green leaves, while the sludge cake was obtained from a waste water treatment plant in Bekasi. The experiment was performed on 3 lab-scale reactors with same specifications. After 21 days of experiment, it was found that the reactor with the lowest mixing fraction of sludge (5:1) has the best temperature profile and highest moisture content depletion compared with others. Initial moisture content and initial volatile solid content of this reactor’s feedstock was 52.25% and 82.4% respectively. The airflow rate was 10 lpm. After biodrying was done, the final moisture content of the feedstock from Reactor C was 22.0% and the final volatile solid content was 75.9%.The final calorific value after biodrying process was 3179,28kcal/kg.

New constraints on subduction inputs and volatile outputs along the Aleutian Arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez, T. M.; Fischer, T. P.; Plank, T. A.; Rizzo, A. L.; Rasmussen, D. J.; Cottrell, E.; Werner, C. A.; Kern, C.; Ilanko, T.; Buff, L.; Andrys, J.; Kelley, K. A.

2017-12-01

Volatile cycling drives volcanism in subduction zone settings. At arcs, volatiles can originate from the subducted slab, mantle wedge and/or crust. Each region has characteristic isotopic signatures, which can be used to fingerprint volatile provenance. We speculate that differences in subduction parameters, such as convergence angle, plate coupling and subducted sediment fluxes, may lead to differences in volatile provenance, which may in turn influence volcanic eruption style and frequency. Here we combine updated constraints on subduction inputs and volatile outputs to provide new insights into volatile cycling within the Aleutian Arc. The high proportion of organic carbon (80-100% to total carbon) in sediments subducting at the Aleutian trench stands out globally and predicts a light carbon isotopic composition of recycled volcanic fluids. We assess volatile outputs on volcanic timescales and along the arc by combining carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and helium (He) isotopic compositions of volcanic gases and new analyses of He and, where possible, C isotopes in olivine-hosted fluid inclusions. From our preliminary isotopic analyses of volcanic gases, we find a greater proportion of mantle-derived volatiles released from the Western segment of the Aleutian Arc (>40% mantle) compared with other volcanic arcs around the world (<30% mantle), where volatiles are sourced primarily from subducted or upper crustal carbonates. This trend may be due to the oblique convergence and low subducted sediment input in this region. The Aleutian Arc also exhibits among the lightest carbon isotope ratios of arcs worldwide (δ13C = -10 to -15‰), especially in the central part of the arc, where organic-bearing terrigneous sediment fills the trench and the convergence rate is high. New constraints on subduction inputs and outputs presented here will help discriminate between upper crustal and subducted carbon sources, and provide further insights into volatile cycling and subduction processes within the Aleutian Arc.

The contribution of evaporative emissions from gasoline vehicles to the volatile organic compound inventory in Mexico City.

PubMed

Schifter, I; Díaz, L; Rodríguez, R; González-Macías, C

2014-06-01

The strategy for decreasing volatile organic compound emissions in Mexico has been focused much more on tailpipe emissions than on evaporative emissions, so there is very little information on the contribution of evaporative emissions to the total volatile organic compound inventory. We examined the magnitudes of exhaust and evaporative volatile organic compound emissions, and the species emitted, in a representative fleet of light-duty gasoline vehicles in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City. The US "FTP-75" test protocol was used to estimate volatile organic compound emissions associated with diurnal evaporative losses, and when the engine is started and a journey begins. The amount and nature of the volatile organic compounds emitted under these conditions have not previously been accounted in the official inventory of the area. Evaporative emissions from light-duty vehicles in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City were estimated to be 39 % of the total annual amount of hydrocarbons emitted. Vehicles built before 1992 (16 % of the fleet) were found to be responsible for 43 % of the total hydrocarbon emissions from exhausts and 31 % of the evaporative emissions of organic compounds. The relatively high amounts of volatile organic compounds emitted from older vehicles found in this study show that strong emission controls need to be implemented in order to decrease the contribution of evaporative emissions of this fraction of the fleet.

Volatile and Isotopic Imprints of Ancient Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahaffy, Paul R.; Conrad, Pamela G.

2015-01-01

The science investigations enabled by Curiosity rover's instruments focus on identifying and exploring the habitability of the Martian environment. Measurements of noble gases, organic and inorganic compounds, and the isotopes of light elements permit the study of the physical and chemical processes that have transformed Mars throughout its history. Samples of the atmosphere, volatiles released from soils, and rocks from the floor of Gale Crater have provided a wealth of new data and a window into conditions on ancient Mars.

Direct Measurements of Gas/Particle Partitioning and Mass Accommodation Coefficients in Environmental Chambers.

PubMed

Krechmer, Jordan E; Day, Douglas A; Ziemann, Paul J; Jimenez, Jose L

2017-10-17

Secondary organic aerosols (SOA) are a major contributor to fine particulate mass and wield substantial influences on the Earth's climate and human health. Despite extensive research in recent years, many of the fundamental processes of SOA formation and evolution remain poorly understood. Most atmospheric aerosol models use gas/particle equilibrium partitioning theory as a default treatment of gas-aerosol transfer, despite questions about potentially large kinetic effects. We have conducted fundamental SOA formation experiments in a Teflon environmental chamber using a novel method. A simple chemical system produces a very fast burst of low-volatility gas-phase products, which are competitively taken up by liquid organic seed particles and Teflon chamber walls. Clear changes in the species time evolution with differing amounts of seed allow us to quantify the particle uptake processes. We reproduce gas- and aerosol-phase observations using a kinetic box model, from which we quantify the aerosol mass accommodation coefficient (α) as 0.7 on average, with values near unity especially for low volatility species. α appears to decrease as volatility increases. α has historically been a very difficult parameter to measure with reported values varying over 3 orders of magnitude. We use the experimentally constrained model to evaluate the correction factor (Φ) needed for chamber SOA mass yields due to losses of vapors to walls as a function of species volatility and particle condensational sink. Φ ranges from 1-4.

Volatility of organic aerosol and its components in the megacity of Paris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paciga, Andrea; Karnezi, Eleni; Kostenidou, Evangelia; Hildebrandt, Lea; Psichoudaki, Magda; Engelhart, Gabriella J.; Lee, Byong-Hyoek; Crippa, Monica; Prévôt, André S. H.; Baltensperger, Urs; Pandis, Spyros N.

2016-02-01

Using a mass transfer model and the volatility basis set, we estimate the volatility distribution for the organic aerosol (OA) components during summer and winter in Paris, France as part of the collaborative project MEGAPOLI. The concentrations of the OA components as a function of temperature were measured combining data from a thermodenuder and an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) with Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) analysis. The hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA) had similar volatility distributions for the summer and winter campaigns with half of the material in the saturation concentration bin of 10 µg m-3 and another 35-40 % consisting of low and extremely low volatility organic compounds (LVOCs with effective saturation concentrations C* of 10-3-0.1 µg m-3 and ELVOCs C* less or equal than 10-4 µg m-3, respectively). The winter cooking OA (COA) was more than an order of magnitude less volatile than the summer COA. The low-volatility oxygenated OA (LV-OOA) factor detected in the summer had the lowest volatility of all the derived factors and consisted almost exclusively of ELVOCs. The volatility for the semi-volatile oxygenated OA (SV-OOA) was significantly higher than that of the LV-OOA, containing both semi-volatile organic components (SVOCs with C* in the 1-100 µg m-3 range) and LVOCs. The oxygenated OA (OOA) factor in winter consisted of SVOCs (45 %), LVOCs (25 %) and ELVOCs (30 %). The volatility of marine OA (MOA) was higher than that of the other factors containing around 60 % SVOCs. The biomass burning OA (BBOA) factor contained components with a wide range of volatilities with significant contributions from both SVOCs (50 %) and LVOCs (30 %). Finally, combining the bulk average O : C ratios and volatility distributions of the various factors, our results are placed into the two-dimensional volatility basis set (2D-VBS) framework. The OA factors cover a broad spectrum of volatilities with no direct link between the average volatility and average O : C of the OA components.

Release and uptake of volatile organic compounds by human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) in vitro

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by human body offer a unique insight into biochemical processes ongoing in healthy and diseased human organisms. Unfortunately, in many cases their origin and metabolic fate have not been yet elucidated in sufficient depth, thus limiting their clinical application. The primary goal of this work was to identify and quantify volatile organic compounds being released or metabolized by HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Methods The hepatocellular carcinoma cells were incubated in specially designed head-space 1-L glass bottles sealed for 24 hours prior to measurements. Identification and quantification of volatiles released and consumed by cells under study were performed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS) coupled with head-space needle trap device extraction (HS-NTD) as the pre-concentration technique. Most of the compounds were identified both by spectral library match as well as retention time comparison based on standards. Results A total of nine compounds were found to be metabolised and further twelve released by the cells under study (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, p<0.05). The former group comprised 6 aldehydes (2-methyl 2-propenal, 2-methyl propanal, 2-ethylacrolein, 3-methyl butanal, n-hexanal and benzaldehyde), n-propyl propionate, n-butyl acetate, and isoprene. Amongst the released species there were five ketones (2-pentanone, 3-heptanone, 2-heptanone, 3-octanone, 2-nonanone), five volatile sulphur compounds (dimethyl sulfide, ethyl methyl sulfide, 3-methyl thiophene, 2-methyl-1-(methylthio)- propane and 2-methyl-5-(methylthio) furan), n-propyl acetate, and 2-heptene. Conclusions The emission and uptake of the aforementioned VOCs may reflect the activity of abundant liver enzymes and support the potential of VOC analysis for the assessment of enzymes function. PMID:23870484

RECEPTOR MODEL COMPARISONS AND WIND DIRECTION ANALYSES OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS AND SUBMICROMETER PARTICLES IN AN ARID, BINATIONAL, URBAN AIRSHED

EPA Science Inventory

The relationship between continuous measurements of volatile organic compounds sources and particle number was evaluated at a Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Station Network (PAMS) site located near the U.S.-Mexico Border in central El Paso, TX. Sources of volatile organic...

MEMBRANE-MODERATED STRIPPING PROCESS FOR REMOVING VOCS FROM WATER IN A COMPOSITE HOLLOW FIBER MODULE. (R825511C027)

EPA Science Inventory

The "stripmeation" process for removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from water has been introduced and studied. An aqueous solution of the VOC is passed through the bores of hydrophobic microporous polypropylene hollow fibers having a plasma polymerized silicone ...

1-Butyl-3-Methyl Imidazolium-based Ionic Liquids Explored as Potential Solvents for Lipid Processing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Due to global environmental concerns, there is increasing interest in replacing the volatile solvents currently used to process commodity plant lipids. Room-temperature molten salts are one type of media receiving great attention as a possible replacement of the typical organic solvent. Molten sal...

ENVIROMETAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC. - METAL-ENHANCED DECHLORINATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS USING AN ABOVE-GROUND REACTOR, INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

EnviroMetal Technology's metal-enhanced dechlorination technology employs an electrochemical process that involves oxidation of iron and reductive dehalogenation of halogenated VOCs in aqueous media. The process can be operated as an above ground reactor or can alternatively perf...

Volatile Compound-Mediated Interactions between Barley and Pathogenic Fungi in the Soil

PubMed Central

Fiers, Marie; Lognay, Georges; Fauconnier, Marie-Laure; Jijakli, M. Haïssam

2013-01-01

Plants are able to interact with their environment by emitting volatile organic compounds. We investigated the volatile interactions that take place below ground between barley roots and two pathogenic fungi, Cochliobolus sativus and Fusarium culmorum. The volatile molecules emitted by each fungus, by non-infected barley roots and by barley roots infected with one of the fungi or the two of them were extracted by head-space solid phase micro extraction and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The effect of fungal volatiles on barley growth and the effect of barley root volatiles on fungal growth were assessed by cultivating both organisms in a shared atmosphere without any physical contact. The results show that volatile organic compounds, especially terpenes, are newly emitted during the interaction between fungi and barley roots. The volatile molecules released by non-infected barley roots did not significantly affect fungal growth, whereas the volatile molecules released by pathogenic fungi decreased the length of barley roots by 19 to 21.5% and the surface of aerial parts by 15%. The spectrum of the volatiles released by infected barley roots had no significant effect on F. culmorum growth, but decreased C. sativus growth by 13 to 17%. This paper identifies the volatile organic compounds emitted by two pathogenic fungi and shows that pathogenic fungi can modify volatile emission by infected plants. Our results open promising perspectives concerning the biological control of edaphic diseases. PMID:23818966

Computation of Phase Equilibria, State Diagrams and Gas/Particle Partitioning of Mixed Organic-Inorganic Aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuend, A.; Marcolli, C.; Peter, T.

2009-04-01

The chemical composition of organic-inorganic aerosols is linked to several processes and specific topics in the field of atmospheric aerosol science. Photochemical oxidation of organics in the gas phase lowers the volatility of semi-volatile compounds and contributes to the particulate matter by gas/particle partitioning. Heterogeneous chemistry and changes in the ambient relative humidity influence the aerosol composition as well. Molecular interactions between condensed phase species show typically non-ideal thermodynamic behavior. Liquid-liquid phase separations into a mainly polar, aqueous and a less polar, organic phase may considerably influence the gas/particle partitioning of semi-volatile organics and inorganics (Erdakos and Pankow, 2004; Chang and Pankow, 2006). Moreover, the phases present in the aerosol particles feed back on the heterogeneous, multi-phase chemistry, influence the scattering and absorption of radiation and affect the CCN ability of the particles. Non-ideal thermodynamic behavior in mixtures is usually described by an expression for the excess Gibbs energy, enabling the calculation of activity coefficients. We use the group-contribution model AIOMFAC (Zuend et al., 2008) to calculate activity coefficients, chemical potentials and the total Gibbs energy of mixed organic-inorganic systems. This thermodynamic model was combined with a robust global optimization module to compute potential liquid-liquid (LLE) and vapor-liquid-liquid equilibria (VLLE) as a function of particle composition at room temperature. And related to that, the gas/particle partitioning of semi-volatile components. Furthermore, we compute the thermodynamic stability (spinodal limits) of single-phase solutions, which provides information on the process type and kinetics of a phase separation. References Chang, E. I. and Pankow, J. F.: Prediction of activity coefficients in liquid aerosol particles containing organic compounds, dissolved inorganic salts, and water - Part 2: Consideration of phase separation effects by an XUNIFAC model, Atmos. Environ., 40, 6422-6436, 2006. Erdakos, G. B. and Pankow, J. F.: Gas/particle partitioning of neutral and ionizing compounds to single- and multi-phase aerosol particles. 2. Phase separation in liquid particulate matter containing both polar and low-polarity organic compounds, Atmos. Environ., 38, 1005-1013, 2004. Zuend, A., Marcolli, C., Luo, B. P., and Peter, T.: A thermodynamic model of mixed organic-inorganic aerosols to predict activity coefficients, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 8, 4559-4593, 2008.

Volatility of the catalytic hydrogenation products of 1,4 bis(phenylethynyl)benzene [The effects of hydrogenation on the volatility of organic hydrogen getters

DOE PAGES

Sharma, Hom N.; Sangalang, Elizabeth A.; Saw, Cheng K.; ...

2017-11-15

Measurements of equilibrium vapor pressures by effusion thermogravimetry and melting points by differential scanning calorimetry reveal that the melting temperature and equilibrium vapor pressures of 1,4-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene (DEB) do not vary monotonically with the hydrogenation extent. Contrary to intuition which suggests increasing volatility with hydrogenation, results indicate decreasing volatility for the first two hydrogenation steps before a non-monotonic upward trend, in which trans-isomers are less volatile. Insights on structural packing and functional groups were obtained from x-ray diffraction and infrared studies to shed light on the observed variation in the volatility of DEB with hydrogenation. Density functional theory calculations were performedmore » to obtain molecular level information and to establish the thermodynamics of DEB hydrogenation reactions. A major factor influencing the observed melting points and volatility of the hydrogenated intermediate species is identified as the local attractive or repulsive carbon-hydrogen (CH) dipole interactions among the getter molecules in their respective crystal structures. As a result, such collective CH dipole interactions can be used to predict the trends in the volatilities of catalytic hydrogenation processes.« less

Volatility of the catalytic hydrogenation products of 1,4 bis(phenylethynyl)benzene [The effects of hydrogenation on the volatility of organic hydrogen getters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sharma, Hom N.; Sangalang, Elizabeth A.; Saw, Cheng K.

Measurements of equilibrium vapor pressures by effusion thermogravimetry and melting points by differential scanning calorimetry reveal that the melting temperature and equilibrium vapor pressures of 1,4-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene (DEB) do not vary monotonically with the hydrogenation extent. Contrary to intuition which suggests increasing volatility with hydrogenation, results indicate decreasing volatility for the first two hydrogenation steps before a non-monotonic upward trend, in which trans-isomers are less volatile. Insights on structural packing and functional groups were obtained from x-ray diffraction and infrared studies to shed light on the observed variation in the volatility of DEB with hydrogenation. Density functional theory calculations were performedmore » to obtain molecular level information and to establish the thermodynamics of DEB hydrogenation reactions. A major factor influencing the observed melting points and volatility of the hydrogenated intermediate species is identified as the local attractive or repulsive carbon-hydrogen (CH) dipole interactions among the getter molecules in their respective crystal structures. As a result, such collective CH dipole interactions can be used to predict the trends in the volatilities of catalytic hydrogenation processes.« less

Impacts of Microbial Growth on the Air Quality of the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macatangay, Ariel V.; Bruce, Rebekah J.

2009-01-01

An understanding of the various sources of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) is one facet to ensuring the habitability of crewed spacecraft. Even though the International Space Station (ISS) atmosphere is relatively well characterized in terms of what is in the atmosphere and approximately how much, linking the majority of these trace contaminants detected to their source is virtually impossible. Albeit a few of can be associated to a single source, the majority of these trace contaminants have their origins from multiple sources. On crewed spacecraft such as ISS, trace contaminants are broadly categorized as either coming from equipment, which includes systems and payloads, or from the metabolic processes of the crew members. Such widely encompassing categories clearly illustrate the difficulty in linking air contaminants to their source(s). It is well known that microbial growth in ISS can flourish if left unchecked. Although processes are in place to limit microbial growth, in reality, microbial growth has pervaded the habitable environment of ISS. This is simply a consequence of having crewed spacecraft, as humans are the largest contributor to the bioload. As with crew members, microbes also have metabolic processes which, in many ways, are comparable to human metabolism. As such, it can be expected that microbial growth can lead to the release of volatile organic compounds into the ISS atmosphere. Given a large enough microbial population, the impact to the air quality of ISS can be potentially large. A survey of the microbiology found in ISS will be presented as well as the possible types of volatile organic compounds that can result from such organisms. This will be correlated to the observations provided by ground-based analysis of ISS atmosphere samples.

Impacts of Microbial Growth on the Air Quality of the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macatangay, Ariel V.; Bruce, Rebekah J.

2010-01-01

An understanding of the various sources of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) is one facet to ensuring the habitability of crewed spacecraft. Even though the International Space Station (ISS) atmosphere is relatively well characterized in terms of what is in the atmosphere and approximately how much, linking the majority of these trace contaminants detected to their source is virtually impossible. Albeit a few of can be associated to a single source, the majority of these trace contaminants have their origins from multiple sources. On crewed spacecraft such as ISS, trace contaminants are broadly categorized as either coming from equipment, which includes systems and payloads, or from the metabolic processes of the crew members. Such widely encompassing categories clearly illustrate the difficulty in linking air contaminants to their source(s). It is well known that microbial growth in ISS can flourish if left unchecked. Although processes are in place to limit microbial growth, in reality, microbial growth has pervaded the habitable environment of ISS. This is simply a consequence of having crewed spacecraft, as humans are the largest contributor to the bioload. As with crew members, microbes also have metabolic processes which, in many ways, are comparable to human metabolism. As such, it can be expected that microbial growth can lead to the release of volatile organic compounds into the ISS atmosphere. Given a large enough microbial population, the impact to the air quality of ISS can be potentially large. A survey of the microbiology found in ISS will be presented as well as the possible types of volatile organic compounds that can result from such organisms. This will be correlated to the observations provided by ground-based analysis of ISS atmosphere samples

Modeling the formation and properties of traditional and non-traditional secondary organic aerosol: problem formulation and application to aircraft exhaust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jathar, S. H.; Miracolo, M. A.; Presto, A. A.; Adams, P. J.; Robinson, A. L.

2012-04-01

We present a methodology to model secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from the photo-oxidation of low-volatility organics (semi-volatile and intermediate volatility organic compounds). The model is parameterized and tested using SOA data collected during two field campaigns that characterized the atmospheric evolution of dilute gas-turbine engine emissions using a smog chamber. Photo-oxidation formed a significant amount of SOA, much of which cannot be explained based on the emissions of traditional, speciated precursors; we refer to this as non-traditional SOA (NT-SOA). The NT-SOA can be explained by emissions of low-volatility organic vapors measured using sorbents. Since these vapors could not be speciated, we employ a volatility-based approach to model NT-SOA formation. We show that the method proposed by Robinson et al. (2007) is unable to explain the timing of NT-SOA formation because it assumes a very modest reduction in volatility of the precursors with every oxidation reaction. In contrast, a Hybrid method, similar to models of traditional SOA formation, assumes a larger reduction in volatility with each oxidation step and results in a better reproduction of NT-SOA formation. The NT-SOA yields estimated for the low-volatility organic vapor emissions are similar to literature data for large n-alkanes and other low-volatility organics. The yields vary with fuel composition (JP8 versus Fischer-Tropsch) and engine load (idle versus non-idle). These differences are consistent with the expected contribution of high (aromatics and n-alkanes) and low (branched alkanes and oxygenated species) SOA forming species to the exhaust.

A technique for the measurement of organic aerosol hygroscopicity, oxidation level, and volatility distributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cain, Kerrigan P.; Pandis, Spyros N.

2017-12-01

Hygroscopicity, oxidation level, and volatility are three crucial properties of organic pollutants. This study assesses the feasibility of a novel measurement and analysis technique to determine these properties and establish their relationship. The proposed experimental setup utilizes a cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) counter to quantify hygroscopic activity, an aerosol mass spectrometer to measure the oxidation level, and a thermodenuder to evaluate the volatility. The setup was first tested with secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed from the ozonolysis of α-pinene. The results of the first experiments indicated that, for this system, the less volatile SOA contained species that had on average lower O : C ratios and hygroscopicities. In this SOA system, both low- and high-volatility components can have comparable oxidation levels and hygroscopicities. The method developed here can be used to provide valuable insights about the relationships among organic aerosol hygroscopicity, oxidation level, and volatility.

Analysis of volatile organic compounds in pleural effusions by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with cryotrap gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Huang, Zhongping; Zhang, Jie; Zhang, Peipei; Wang, Hong; Pan, Zaifa; Wang, Lili

2016-07-01

Headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with cryotrap gas chromatography and mass spectrometry was applied to the analysis of volatile organic compounds in pleural effusions. The highly volatile organic compounds were separated successfully with high sensitivity by the employment of a cryotrap device, with the construction of a cold column head by freezing a segment of metal capillary with liquid nitrogen. A total of 76 volatile organic compounds were identified in 50 pleural effusion samples (20 malignant effusions and 30 benign effusions). Among them, 34 more volatile organic compounds were detected with the retention time less than 8 min, by comparing with the normal headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry method. Furthermore, 24 volatile organic compounds with high occurrence frequency in pleural effusion samples, 18 of which with the retention time less than 8 min, were selected for the comparative analysis. The results of average peak area comparison and box-plot analysis showed that except for cyclohexanone, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, and tetramethylbenzene, which have been reported as potential cancer biomarkers, cyclohexanol, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-heptane, ethylbenzene, and xylene also had differential expression between malignant and benign effusions. Therefore, the proposed approach was valuable for the comprehensive characterization of volatile organic compounds in pleural effusions. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) AND OTHER SEMI-VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS COLLECTED IN NEW YORK CITY IN RESPONSE TO THE EVENTS OF 9/11

EPA Science Inventory

Concentrations of over 60 non-polar semi-volatile and non-volatile organic compounds were measured in Lower Manhattan, New York using a high capacity Integrated Organic Gas and Particle Sampler, after the initial destruction of the World Trade Center. The results indicate that th...

POLYCYLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) AND OTHER SEMI-VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS COLLECTED IN NEW YORK CITY IN RESPONSE TO THE EVENTS OF 9/11

EPA Science Inventory

Concentrations of over 60 non-polar semi-volatile and non-volatile organic compounds were measured in Lower Manhattan, New York using a high capacity Integrated Organic Gas an Particle Sampler, after the initial destruction of the World Trade Center. The results indicate that t...

POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) AND OTHER SEMI-VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS COLLECTED IN NEW YORK CITY IN RESPONSE TO THE EVENTS OF 9/11

EPA Science Inventory

Concentrations of over 60 non-polar semi-volatile and non-volatile organic compounds were measured in Lower Manhattan, New York using a high capacity Integrated Organic Gas and Particle Sampler, after the initial destruction of the World Trade Center. The results indicate that ...

78 FR 53029 - Air Quality: Revision to Definition of Volatile Organic Compounds-Exclusion of trans

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-28

... Air Quality: Revision to Definition of Volatile Organic Compounds--Exclusion of trans 1-chloro-3,3,3.... SUMMARY: The EPA is taking final action to revise the regulatory definition of volatile organic compounds..., June 16, 2010), and as a solvent for metals, electronics, and precision cleaning and in adhesives...

40 CFR Table 4 to Subpart Uuuu of... - Requirements for Performance Tests

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 25A if: an exhaust gas volatile organic matter concentration of 50 ppmv or less is required in order to comply with the emission limit; the volatile organic matter concentration at the inlet to the control device and the required level of control are such as to result in exhaust volatile organic matter...

40 CFR Table 4 to Subpart Uuuu of... - Requirements for Performance Tests

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 25A if: an exhaust gas volatile organic matter concentration of 50 ppmv or less is required in order to comply with the emission limit; the volatile organic matter concentration at the inlet to the control device and the required level of control are such as to result in exhaust volatile organic matter...

40 CFR 63.4362 - How do I determine the add-on control device emission destruction or removal efficiency?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... applicable, during each test run. (b) Measure the volatile organic matter concentration as carbon at the... limit, only the outlet volatile organic matter concentration must be determined. The outlet volatile organic matter concentration is determined as the average of the three test runs. (1) Use Method 25 if the...

40 CFR Table 4 to Subpart Uuuu of... - Requirements for Performance Tests

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 25A if: an exhaust gas volatile organic matter concentration of 50 ppmv or less is required in order to comply with the emission limit; the volatile organic matter concentration at the inlet to the control device and the required level of control are such as to result in exhaust volatile organic matter...

40 CFR 63.4362 - How do I determine the add-on control device emission destruction or removal efficiency?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... applicable, during each test run. (b) Measure the volatile organic matter concentration as carbon at the... limit, only the outlet volatile organic matter concentration must be determined. The outlet volatile organic matter concentration is determined as the average of the three test runs. (1) Use Method 25 if the...

40 CFR Table 4 to Subpart Uuuu of... - Requirements for Performance Tests

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 25A if: an exhaust gas volatile organic matter concentration of 50 ppmv or less is required in order to comply with the emission limit; the volatile organic matter concentration at the inlet to the control device and the required level of control are such as to result in exhaust volatile organic matter...

40 CFR 63.4362 - How do I determine the add-on control device emission destruction or removal efficiency?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... applicable, during each test run. (b) Measure the volatile organic matter concentration as carbon at the... limit, only the outlet volatile organic matter concentration must be determined. The outlet volatile organic matter concentration is determined as the average of the three test runs. (1) Use Method 25 if the...

40 CFR 63.4362 - How do I determine the add-on control device emission destruction or removal efficiency?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... applicable, during each test run. (b) Measure the volatile organic matter concentration as carbon at the... limit, only the outlet volatile organic matter concentration must be determined. The outlet volatile organic matter concentration is determined as the average of the three test runs. (1) Use Method 25 if the...

Strong catalytic activity of iron nanoparticles on the surfaces of reduced olivine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, William C.; Quadery, Abrar H.; Schulte, Alfons; Blair, Richard G.; Kaden, William E.; Schelling, Patrick K.; Britt, Daniel T.

2018-01-01

It is demonstrated that olivine powders heated to subsolidus temperatures in reducing conditions can develop significant concentrations of 10-50 nm diameter Fe nanoparticles on grain surfaces and that these display strong catalytic activity not observed in powders without Fe nanoparticles. Reduced surfaces were exposed to NH3, CO, and H2, volatiles that may be present on the surfaces of comet and volatile-rich asteroids. In the case of NH3 exposure, rapid decomposition was observed. When exposed to a mixture of CO and H2, significant coking of the mineral surfaces occurred. Analysis of the mineral grains after reaction indicated primarily the presence of graphene or graphitic carbon. The results demonstrate that strong chemical activity can be expected at powders that contain nanophase Fe particles. This suggests space-weathered mineral surfaces may play an important role in the synthesis and processing of organic species. This processing may be part of the weathering processes of volatile-rich but atmosphereless solar-system bodies.

Changes in non-volatile taste components of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) during different stages of freeze drying and freeze drying combined with microwave vacuum drying.

PubMed

Pei, Fei; Shi, Ying; Gao, Xingyang; Wu, Fangning; Mariga, Alfred Mugambi; Yang, Wenjian; Zhao, Liyan; An, Xinxin; Xin, Zhihong; Yang, Fangmei; Hu, Qiuhui

2014-12-15

Button mushroom slices were dehydrated using freeze drying (FD) or FD combined with microwave vacuum drying (FMVD), and the non-volatile component profiles were studied. The results showed that the level of non-volatile components in button mushroom firstly increased during sublimation of FD/FMVD process and then fell during desorption in FD process and MVD in FMVD process. Compared to FD products, the contents of soluble sugars and polyols in FMVD products were relatively low, whereas the contents of total free amino acids were significantly higher, close to the level of fresh mushroom. However, there was no significant difference in the contents of 5'-nucleotides and organic acids between FD and FMVD products. The equivalent umami concentration (EUC) values for FD and FMVD products did not differ from fresh, indicating that both drying methods could effectively preserve MSG (monosodium glutamate)-like components in button mushroom. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Air monitoring of volatile organic compounds at relevant receptors during hydraulic fracturing operations in Washington County, Pennsylvania.

PubMed

Maskrey, Joshua R; Insley, Allison L; Hynds, Erin S; Panko, Julie M

2016-07-01

A 3-month air monitoring study was conducted in Washington County, Pennsylvania, at the request of local community members regarding the potential risks resulting from air emissions of pollutants related to hydraulic fracturing operations. Continuous air monitoring for total volatile organic compounds was performed at two sampling sites, including a school and a residence, located within 900 m of a hydraulic fracturing well pad that had been drilled prior to the study. Intermittent 24-hour air samples for 62 individual volatile organic compounds were also collected. The ambient air at both sites was monitored during four distinct periods of unconventional natural gas extraction activity: an inactive period prior to fracturing operations, during fracturing operations, during flaring operations, and during another inactive period after operations. The results of the continuous monitoring during fracturing and flaring sampling periods for total volatile organic compounds were similar to the results obtained during inactive periods. Total volatile organic compound 24-hour average concentrations ranged between 0.16 and 80 ppb during all sampling periods. Several individual volatile compounds were detected in the 24-hour samples, but they were consistent with background atmospheric levels measured previously at nearby sampling sites and in other areas in Washington County. Furthermore, a basic yet conservative screening level evaluation demonstrated that the detected volatile organic compounds were well below health-protective levels. The primary finding of this study was that the operation of a hydraulic fracturing well pad in Washington County did not substantially affect local air concentrations of total and individual volatile organic compounds.

Measurement of the temperature dependent partitioning of semi-volatile organics onto aerosol near roadways

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wentzell, J. J.; Liggio, J.; Li, S.; Brook, J.; Staebler, R. M.; Evans, G. J.; Jeong, C.; Sheppard, A.; Lu, G.; Gordon, M.; Mihele, C.

2010-12-01

The volatility of the organic aerosol fraction has received a great deal of attention recently in light of new volatility-based modelling approaches and due to the inability of current models to fully account for secondary organic aerosol (SOA). In this regard, evaporation of primary organic aerosol species and their subsequent oxidation may contribute significantly to SOA downwind of sources. This implies that moderate ambient temperature fluctuations can significantly increase or decrease the aerosol bound fraction of semi-volatile and intermediate volatility (SVOC + IVOC) compounds. In order to examine the importance of these more volatile organic components, a temperature controlled inlet was developed with the ability to heat and cool the aerosol in 2 C increments to 15 C above or below ambient temperature. The inlet was coupled to an Aerodyne High Resolution Time of Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) and deployed on a mobile platform upwind and downwind of a major Southern Ontario highway as part of the Fast Evolution of Vehicle Emissions near Roadways (FEVER 2010) campaign. Preliminary results suggest that changes in temperature of 5-10 C can alter the partitioning of volatile organic aerosol components by up to 30%. Although the largest affect was observed 10-13 meters downwind of the vehicle emissions, a measurable affect was observed beyond 500 m and in aerosol upwind of the highway. These results suggest that a significant pool of semi-volatile organics exist, which can condense onto particles at slightly lower temperatures or evaporate to the gas phase and be further oxidized. The nature of these organic species at locations upwind and downwind of vehicle emissions will be discussed.

Automated Signal Processing Applied to Volatile-Based Inspection of Greenhouse Crops

PubMed Central

Jansen, Roel; Hofstee, Jan Willem; Bouwmeester, Harro; van Henten, Eldert

2010-01-01

Gas chromatograph–mass spectrometers (GC-MS) have been used and shown utility for volatile-based inspection of greenhouse crops. However, a widely recognized difficulty associated with GC-MS application is the large and complex data generated by this instrument. As a consequence, experienced analysts are often required to process this data in order to determine the concentrations of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of interest. Manual processing is time-consuming, labour intensive and may be subject to errors due to fatigue. The objective of this study was to assess whether or not GC-MS data can also be automatically processed in order to determine the concentrations of crop health associated VOCs in a greenhouse. An experimental dataset that consisted of twelve data files was processed both manually and automatically to address this question. Manual processing was based on simple peak integration while the automatic processing relied on the algorithms implemented in the MetAlign™ software package. The results of automatic processing of the experimental dataset resulted in concentrations similar to that after manual processing. These results demonstrate that GC-MS data can be automatically processed in order to accurately determine the concentrations of crop health associated VOCs in a greenhouse. When processing GC-MS data automatically, noise reduction, alignment, baseline correction and normalisation are required. PMID:22163594

USING AERATION FOR CORROSION CONTROL

EPA Science Inventory

Aeration is a useful drinking water treatment process. Aeration has been used to remove hydrogen sulfide, methane, radon, iron, manganese, and volatile organic contaminants (VOCs) from drinking water. Aeration is also effective in removing carbon dioxide which directly impacts ...

40 CFR Appendix B to Part 63 - Sources Defined for Early Reduction Provisions

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Location of definition 1. Organic Process Equipment in Volatile Hazardous Air Pollutant Service at Chemical Plants and Other Designated Facilities 56 FR 9315, March 6, 1991, Announcement of Negotiated Rulemaking a...

40 CFR Appendix B to Part 63 - Sources Defined for Early Reduction Provisions

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Location of definition 1. Organic Process Equipment in Volatile Hazardous Air Pollutant Service at Chemical Plants and Other Designated Facilities 56 FR 9315, March 6, 1991, Announcement of Negotiated Rulemaking a...

40 CFR Appendix B to Part 63 - Sources Defined for Early Reduction Provisions

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Location of definition 1. Organic Process Equipment in Volatile Hazardous Air Pollutant Service at Chemical Plants and Other Designated Facilities 56 FR 9315, March 6, 1991, Announcement of Negotiated Rulemaking a...

Does the addition of proteases affect the biogas yield from organic material in anaerobic digestion?

PubMed

Müller, Liane; Kretzschmar, Jörg; Pröter, Jürgen; Liebetrau, Jan; Nelles, Michael; Scholwin, Frank

2016-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the biochemical disintegration effect of hydrolytic enzymes in lab scale experiments. Influences of enzyme addition on the biogas yield as well as effects on the process stability were examined. The addition of proteases occurred with low and high dosages in batch and semi-continuous biogas tests. The feed mixture consisted of maize silage, chicken dung and cow manure. Only very high concentrated enzymes caused an increase in biogas production in batch experiments. In semi-continuous biogas tests no positive long-term effects (100 days) were observed. Higher enzyme-dosage led to a reduced biogas-yield (13% and 36% lower than the reference). Phenylacetate and -propionate increased (up to 372 mgl(-1)) before the other volatile fatty acids did. Volatile organic acids rose up to 6.8 gl(-1). The anaerobic digestion process was inhibited. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Albuquerque Operations Office, Albuquerque, New Mexico: Technology summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-08-01

This document has been prepared by the Department of Energy`s (DOE) Environmental Management (EM) Office of Technology Development (OTD) in order to highlight research, development, demonstration, testing, and evaluation (RDDT&E) activities funded through the Albuquerque Operations Office. Technologies and processes described have the potential to enhance DOE`s cleanup and waste management efforts, as well as improve US industry`s competitiveness in global environmental markets. The information has been assembled from recently produced OTD documents that highlight technology development activities within each of the OTD program elements. These integrated program summaries include: Volatile Organic Compounds in Non-Arid Soils, Volatile Organic Compounds inmore » Arid Soils, Mixed Waste Landfill Integrated Demonstration, Uranium in Soils Integrated Demonstration, Characterization, Monitoring, and Sensor Technology, In Situ Remediation, Buried Waste Integrated Demonstration, Underground Storage Tank, Efficient Separations and Processing, Mixed Waste Integrated Program, Rocky Flats Compliance Program, Pollution Prevention Program, Innovation Investment Area, and Robotics Technology.« less

Flavor characteristics of seven grades of black tea produced in Turkey.

PubMed

Alasalvar, Cesarettin; Topal, Bahar; Serpen, Arda; Bahar, Banu; Pelvan, Ebru; Gökmen, Vural

2012-06-27

Seven grades of black tea [high-quality black tea (grades 1-3) and low-quality black tea (grades 4-7)], processed by ÇAYKUR Tea Processing Plant (Rize, Turkey), were compared for their differences in descriptive sensory analysis (DSA), aroma-active compounds (volatile compounds), and taste-active compounds (sugar, organic acid, and free amino acid compositions). Ten flavor attributes such as 'after taste', 'astringency', 'bitter', 'caramel-like', 'floral/sweet', 'green/grassy', 'hay-like', 'malty', 'roasty', and 'seaweed' were identified. Intensities for a number of flavor attributes ('after taste', 'caramel-like', 'malty', and 'seaweed') were not significantly different (p > 0.05) among seven grades of black tea. A total of 57 compounds in seven grades of black tea (14 aldehydes, eight alcohols, eight ketones, two esters, four aromatic hydrocarbons, five aliphatic hydrocarbons, nine terpenes, two pyrazines, one furan, two acids, and two miscellaneous compounds) were tentatively identified. Of these, aldeyhdes comprised more than 50% to the total volatile compounds identified. In general, high-grade quality tea had more volatiles than low-grade quality tea. With respect to taste-active compounds, five sugars, six organic acids, and 18 free amino acids were positively identified in seven grades of black tea, of which fructose, tannic acid, and theanine predominated, respectively. Some variations (p < 0.05), albeit to different extents, were observed among volatile compounds, sugars, organic acids, and free amino acids in seven grades of black tea. The present study suggests that a certain flavor attributes correlate well with taste- and aroma-active compounds. High- and low-quality black teas should not be distinguished solely on the basis of their DSA and taste- and aroma-active compounds. The combination of taste-active compounds together with aroma-active compounds renders combination effects that provide the characteristic flavor of each grade of black tea.

Gas and Particulate Aircraft Emissions Measurements: Impacts on local air quality.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayne, J. T.; Onasch, T.; Northway, M.; Canagaratna, M.; Worsnop, D.; Timko, M.; Wood, E.; Miake-Lye, R.; Herndon, S.; Knighton, B.; Whitefield, P.; Hagen, D.; Lobo, P.; Anderson, B.

2007-12-01

Air travel and freight shipping by air are becoming increasingly important and are expected to continue to expand. The resulting increases in the local concentrations of pollutants, including particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and nitrogen oxides (NOX), can have negative impacts on regional air quality, human health and can impact climate change. In order to construct valid emission inventories, accurate measurements of aircraft emissions are needed. These measurements must be done both at the engine exit plane (certification) and downwind following the rapid cooling, dilution and initial atmospheric processing of the exhaust plume. We present here results from multiple field experiments which include the Experiment to Characterize Volatile Aerosol and Trace Species Emissions (EXCAVATE) and the four Aircraft Particle Emissions eXperiments (APEX- 1/Atlanta/2/3) which characterized gas and particle emissions from both stationary or in-use aircraft. Emission indices (EIs) for NOx and VOCs and for particle number concentration, refractory PM (black carbon soot) and volatile PM (primarily sulfate and organic) particles are reported. Measurements were made at the engine exit plane and at several downstream locations (10 and 30 meters) for a number of different engine types and engine thrust settings. A significant fraction of organic particle mass is composed of low volatility oil-related compounds and is not combustion related, potentially emitted by vents or heated surfaces within aircraft engines. Advected plumes measurements from in-use aircraft show that the practice of reduced thrust take-offs has a significant effect on total NOx and soot emitted in the vicinity of the airport. The measurements reported here represent a first observation of this effect and new insights have been gained with respect to the chemical processing of gases and particulates important to the urban airshed.

Ground-water quality in the southeastern Sacramento Valley aquifer, California, 1996

USGS Publications Warehouse

Milby Dawson, Barbara J.

2001-01-01

In 1996, the U.S. Geological Survey sampled 29 domestic wells and 2 monitoring wells in the southeastern Sacramento Valley as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. This area, designated as the NAWQA Sacramento subunit study area, was chosen because it had the largest amount of ground-water use in the Sacramento River Basin. The Sacramento subunit study area is about 4,400 square kilometers and includes intense agricultural and urban development. The wells sampled ranged from 14.9 to 79.2 meters deep. Ground-water samples from 31 wells were analyzed for 6 field measurements, 14 inorganic constituents, 6 nutrient constituents, organic carbon, 86 pesticides, 87 volatile organic compounds, tritium (hydrogen-3), radon-222, deuterium (hydrogen-2), and oxygen-18. Nitrate levels were lower than the 2000 drinking-water standards in all but one well, but many detections were in the range that indicated an effect by human activities on ground-water quality. Radon was detected in all wells, and was measured at levels above the proposed Federal 2000 maximum contaminant level in 90 percent of the wells. Five pesticides and one pesticide degradation product were detected in ground-water samples and concentrations were below 2000 drinking-water standards. All pesticides detected during this study have been used in the Sacramento Valley. Thirteen volatile organic compounds were detected in ground water. One detection of trichloroethene was above Federal 2000 drinking-water standards, and another, tetrachloromethane, was above California 1997 drinking-water standards; both occurred in a well that had eight volatile organic compound detections and is near a known source of ground-water contamination. Pesticides and volatile organic compounds were detected in agricultural and urban areas; both pesticides and volatile organic compounds were detected at a higher frequency in urban wells. Ground-water chemistry indicates that natural processes and human activities are affecting ground-water quality in the upper part of the southeastern Sacramento Valley aquifer. The factors identified as having an influence on ground-water quality were redox condition in the aquifer, depth within the aquifer, and land use overlying the aquifer. Nitrate concentra-tions showed a statistical correlation with each of these factors. Detections of pesticides and volatile organic compounds were too few to compare concentrations with the various factors, but the types of synthetic compounds detected were consistent with the sur-rounding land use. Sixty-one percent of the wells sampled in this study showed the effect of human activities on ground-water quality in the form of a nitrate concentration over 3 milligrams per liter or a detection of a pesticide or volatile organic compound. In general, the water quality in the southeastern Sacramento Valley aquifer was found suitable for most uses.

Preliminary assessment of microbial communities and biodegradation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in wetlands at Cluster 13, Lauderick Creek area, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lorah, Michelle M.; Voytek, Mary A.; Spencer, Tracey A.

2003-01-01

A preliminary assessment of the microbial communities and biodegradation processes for chlorinated volatile organic compounds was con-ducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in wetlands at the Cluster 13, Lauderick Creek area at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. The U.S. Geological Survey collected wetland sediment samples from 11 sites in the Lauderick Creek area for microbial analyses, and used existing data to evaluate biodegradation processes and rates. The bacterial and methanogen communities in the Lauderick Creek wetland sediments were similar to those observed in a previous U.S. Geological Survey study at the West Branch Canal Creek wet-land area, Aberdeen Proving Ground. Evaluation of the degradation rate of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane and the daughter compounds produced also showed similar results for the two wetlands. How-ever, a vertical profile of contaminant concentra-tions in the wetlands was available at only one site in the Lauderick Creek area, and flow velocities in the wetland sediment are unknown. To better evaluate natural attenuation processes and rates in the wetland sediments at Lauderick Creek, chemi-cal and hydrologic measurements are needed along ground-water flowpaths in the wetland at additional sites and during different seasons. Nat-ural attenuation in the wetlands, enhanced biore-mediation, and constructed wetlands could be feasible remediation methods for the chlorinated volatile organic compounds discharging in the Lauderick Creek area. The similarities in the microbial communities and biodegradation pro-cesses at the Lauderick Creek and West Branch Canal Creek areas indicate that enhanced bioreme-diation techniques currently being developed for the West Branch Canal Creek wetland area would be transferable to this area.

Proposal for a screening test to evaluate the fate of organic micropollutants in activated sludge.

PubMed

Salvetti, Roberta; Vismara, Renato; Dal Ben, Ilaria; Gorla, Elena; Romele, Laura

2011-04-01

The concentrations of organic micropollutants are usually low in wastewaters (order of magnitude of mg L(-1)). However, their emission standards, especially in the case of carcinogenic and bioaccumulating substances, are often much lower (order of magnitude of microg L(-1)). Since these substances, in some cases, can be adsorbable or volatile, their removal via volatilization, biodegradation or sludge adsorption in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) becomes a significant feature to include in the usual design process, in order to verify the emission standards in gas and sludge too. In this study a simple screening batch test for the evaluation of the fate of organic micropollutants in water, air and sludge is presented. The test is set up by means of simple laboratory instruments and simulates an activated sludge tank process. In this study the results obtained for four substances with different chemical properties (i.e. toluene, benz(a)anthracene, phenol and benzene) are presented. The screening test proposed can be a useful tool to assess in about one month the fate of organic micropollutants in an activated sludge tank of a WWTP. Moreover, the test can constitute a useful support in the use of mathematical models, since it allows the verification of model results and the calibration of the reactions involved in the removal process.

Sniffing on microbes: diverse roles of microbial volatile organic compounds in plant health.

PubMed

Bitas, Vasileios; Kim, Hye-Seon; Bennett, Joan W; Kang, Seogchan

2013-08-01

Secreted proteins and metabolites play diverse and critical roles in organismal and organism-environment interactions. Volatile organic compounds (VOC) can travel far from the point of production through the atmosphere, porous soils, and liquid, making them ideal info-chemicals for mediating both short- and long-distance intercellular and organismal interactions. Critical ecological roles for animal- and plant-derived VOC in directing animal behaviors and for VOC as a language for plant-to-plant communication and regulators of various physiological processes have been well documented. Similarly, microbial VOC appear to be involved in antagonism, mutualism, intra- and interspecies regulation of cellular and developmental processes, and modification of their surrounding environments. However, the available knowledge of how microbial VOC affect other organisms is very limited. Evidence supporting diverse roles of microbial VOC with the focus on their impact on plant health is reviewed here. Given the vast diversity of microbes in nature and the critical importance of microbial communities associated with plants for their ecology and fitness, systematic exploration of microbial VOC and characterization of their biological functions and ecological roles will likely uncover novel mechanisms for controlling diverse biological processes critical to plant health and will also offer tangible practical benefits in addressing agricultural and environmental problems.

High hydrostatic pressure treatments enhance volatile components of pre-germinated brown rice revealed by aromatic fingerprinting based on HS-SPME/GC-MS and chemometric methods.

PubMed

Xia, Qiang; Mei, Jun; Yu, Wenjuan; Li, Yunfei

2017-01-01

Germination favors to significantly enhance functional components and health attributes of whole-grain brown rice (BR), but the production of germinated BR (GBR) compromises the typical rice flavor perception due to soaking process. Simultaneously, high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) is considered as an effective processing technique to enhance micronutrients utilization efficiency of GBR and improve products flavor, but no information about the effects of HHP treatments on volatile fingerprinting of GBR has been reported. Therefore, the objective of this work was to apply HHP to improve the flavor and odor of GBR grains by exploring HHP-induced changes in aroma compounds. GBR grains were obtained by incubating at 37°C for 36h, and subsequently subjected to HHP treatments at pressures 100, 300 and 500MPa for 15min, using 0.1MPa as control. Headspace solid-phase micro extraction coupled to gas chromatography mass spectrometry was used to characterize process-induced shifts of volatile organic compounds fingerprinting, followed by multivariate analysis. Our results confirmed the significant reduction of total volatile fractions derived from germination process. Contrarily, the following HHP treatments greatly enhanced the flavor components of GBR, particularly characteristic odorants including aldehydes, ketones, and alcohols. Principal component analysis further indicated the different influence of germination and high pressure on the changes in volatile components. Partial least square-discrimination analysis suggested that 4-vinylguaiacol was closely linked to germination, whereas E,E-2,4-decadienal, E-2-hexenal, E,E-2,4-heptadienal and benzyl alcohol could be considered as volatile biomarkers of high pressure. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How common is within-plant signaling via volatiles?

PubMed

Li, Tao; Blande, James D

2017-08-03

Many plants respond to herbivory by releasing a complex blend of volatiles that may differ from that emitted by intact counterparts. These herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPV) mediate many interactions among plants and their community members, including alerting undamaged leaves of the attacked or neighboring plants to impending danger. It has been postulated that HIPVs evolved for within-plant signaling and that other organisms subsequently evolved to use them. However, only 7 studies have reported HIPV-mediated within-plant signaling, most conducted in the laboratory or greenhouse. This leaves open the ecological relevance and evolutionary underpinning of the phenomenon. We recently observed within-plant signaling in hybrid aspen under laboratory and field conditions. Greenhouse experiments showed that HIPVs mediated the process. While our study adds an aspen hybrid to the list of plants in which within-plant signaling has been demonstrated, we lack understanding of how common the process is and whether plants obtain fitness benefits.

A Computer Model for Analyzing Volatile Removal Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guo, Boyun

2010-01-01

A computer model simulates reactional gas/liquid two-phase flow processes in porous media. A typical process is the oxygen/wastewater flow in the Volatile Removal Assembly (VRA) in the Closed Environment Life Support System (CELSS) installed in the International Space Station (ISS). The volatile organics in the wastewater are combusted by oxygen gas to form clean water and carbon dioxide, which is solved in the water phase. The model predicts the oxygen gas concentration profile in the reactor, which is an indicator of reactor performance. In this innovation, a mathematical model is included in the computer model for calculating the mass transfer from the gas phase to the liquid phase. The amount of mass transfer depends on several factors, including gas-phase concentration, distribution, and reaction rate. For a given reactor dimension, these factors depend on pressure and temperature in the reactor and composition and flow rate of the influent.

Implementation of an evaporative oxidation process for treatment of aqueous mixed wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bounini, L.; Stelmach, J.

1995-12-31

The US Department of Energy and Rust Geotech conducted treatability tests for mixed wastes with a pilot-scale evaporative oxidation unit known as the mini-PO*WW*ER unit. In the evaporative oxidation process, water and volatile organic compounds are vaporized and passed through a catalytic oxidizer to destroy the organic compounds. Nonvolatiles are concentrated into a brine that may be solidified. Ten experiment runs were made. The oxidation of the unit was calculated using total organic carbon analyses of feed and composite product condensate samples. These data indicate that the technology is capable of achieving oxidation efficiencies as high as 99.999 percent onmore » mixed wastes when the bed temperature is near 600 C, residence times are about 0.2 seconds, and adequate oxygen flow is maintained. Concentrations of the tested volatile organic compounds in the product-condensate composite samples were well below standards for wastewaters. Combined gross alpha and beta radioactivity levels in the samples were below detection limites of 12.5 pico-Cu/l, so the liquid would not qualify as a radioactive waste. Thus, the product condensate process by the process is not restricted as either hazardous or mixed waste and is suitable for direct disposal. The brines produced were not considered mixed waste and could be handled and disposed of as radioactive waste.« less

Proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry for the study of the production of volatile compounds by bakery yeast starters.

PubMed

Makhoul, Salim; Romano, Andrea; Cappellin, Luca; Spano, Giuseppe; Capozzi, Vittorio; Benozzi, Elisabetta; Märk, Tilmann D; Aprea, Eugenio; Gasperi, Flavia; El-Nakat, Hanna; Guzzo, Jean; Biasioli, Franco

2014-09-01

The aromatic impact of bakery yeast starters is currently receiving considerable attention. The flavor characteristics of the dough and the finished products are usually evaluated by gas chromatography and sensory analysis. The limit of both techniques resides in their low-throughput character. In the present work, proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), coupled to a time-of-flight mass analyzer, was employed, for the first time, to measure the volatile fractions of dough and bread, and to monitor Saccharomyces cerevisiae volatile production in a fermented food matrix. Leavening was performed on small-scale (1 g) dough samples inoculated with different commercial yeast strains. The leavened doughs were then baked, and volatile profiles were determined during leavening and after baking. The experimental setup included a multifunctional autosampler, which permitted the follow-up of the leavening process on a small scale with a typical throughput of 500 distinct data points in 16 h. The system allowed to pinpoint differences between starter yeast strains in terms of volatile emission kinetics, with repercussions on the final product (i.e. the corresponding micro-loaves). This work demonstrates the applicability of PTR-MS for the study of volatile organic compound production during bread-making, for the automated and online real-time monitoring of the leavening process, and for the characterization and selection of bakery yeast starters in view of their production of volatile compounds. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Edible Oil Barriers for Treatment of Chlorinated Solvent Contaminated Groundwater

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

CF Chloroform Cl# Chlorine Number CO Carbon Monoxide CT Carbon Tetrachloride CVOC Chlorinated Volatile Organic Compound 1,2-DCA 1,2...As Safe HCl Hydrochloric Acid HRC® Hydrogen Release Compound IDW Investigation-Derived Waste ISCO In Situ Chemical Oxidation LEL Lower...Total Organic Carbon VC Vinyl Chloride VFA Volatile Fatty Acid VOC Volatile Organic Compound ZVI Zero Valent Iron viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The micro-environmental impact of volatile organic compound emissions from large-scale assemblies of people in a confined space

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Large-scale assemblies of people in a con'ned space can exert signi'cant impacts on the local air chemistry due to human emissions of volatile organics. Variations of air-quality in such small scale can be studied by quantifying 'ngerprint volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as acetone, toluene, ...

ACUTE BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS OF INHALED PERCHLOROETHYLENE IN RATS ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO ITS CONCENTRATION IN THE BRAIN.

EPA Science Inventory

Perchloroethylene (PCE) is a volatile organic compound (VOC), frequently used in dry cleaning processes, that is currently being assessed by EPA for its risk to human health. Many VOCs are acutely neurotoxic and have been shown to affect attentional processes in humans and animal...

A MECHANISTIC MODEL FOR ESTIMATING VOC EMISSIONS FROM INDUSTRIAL PROCESS DRAINS PART I: THE UNDERLYING CHANNEL. (R823335)

EPA Science Inventory

Recent research has indicated the potential for emissions of volatile organic compound
(VOCs) from industrial process drains, and a need for better understanding of the mass transfer
kinetics associated with such emissions. rn this study, a two-zone model was developed in a...

Analysis of the volatile organic matter of engine piston deposits by direct sample introduction thermal desorption gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Diaby, M; Kinani, S; Genty, C; Bouchonnet, S; Sablier, M; Le Negrate, A; El Fassi, M

2009-12-01

This article establishes an alternative method for the characterization of volatiles organic matter (VOM) contained in deposits of the piston first ring grooves of diesel engines using a ChromatoProbe direct sample introduction (DSI) device coupled to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. The addition of an organic solvent during thermal desorption leads to an efficient extraction and a good chromatographic separation of extracted products. The method was optimized investigating the effects of several solvents, the volume added to the solid sample, and temperature programming of the ChromatoProbe DSI device. The best results for thermal desorption were found using toluene as an extraction solvent and heating the programmable temperature injector from room temperature to 300 degrees C with a temperature step of 105 degrees C. With the use of the optimized thermal desorption conditions, several components have been positively identified in the volatile fraction of the deposits: aromatics, antioxidants, and antioxidant degradation products. Moreover, this work highlighted the presence of diesel fuel in the VOM of the piston deposits and gave new facts on the absence of the role of diesel fuel in the deposit formation process. Most importantly, it opens the possibility of quickly performing the analysis of deposits with small amounts of samples while having a good separation of the volatiles.

Volatile organic compounds profile during milk fermentation by Lactobacillus pentosus and correlations between volatiles flavor and carbohydrate metabolism.

PubMed

Pan, D D; Wu, Z; Peng, T; Zeng, X Q; Li, H

2014-02-01

Flavor, as one of the most important properties determining the acceptability and preference of fermented milks, is influenced by compositional and processing factors. In this study, we focused on the volatile organic compounds related to flavor during milk fermentation by Lactobacillus pentosus according to electronic nose analysis. Xylose (1% addition) metabolized by Lb. pentosus strongly affects the flavor of yogurt, with the potent volatile organic compounds of ethanol (3.08%), 2,3-butanedione (7.77%), and acetic acid (22.70%) detected using solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Sensoryanalysis also showed skimmed yogurt fermented by Lb. pentosus with 1% xylose had the unique scores of sourness (acetic acid) and butter flavor (2,3-butanedione). Furthermore, α-acetolactate synthase and α-acetolactate decarboxylase in carbohydrate metabolism play important roles in milk fermentation. Under preferable conditions (pH 5.5, 42 °C) for α-acetolactate synthase and α-acetolactate decarboxylase, the relative content of potent flavor compound 2,3-butanedione was 10.13%, which was 2.55% higher than common culture condition (pH 4.5, 37 °C), revealing that xylose metabolized by Lb. pentosus has potential values for the milk product industry, such as the acceptability and preference of fermented milk product. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An evaluation of the vapor phase catalytic ammonia removal process for use in a Mars transit vehicle.

PubMed

Flynn, M; Borchers, B

1998-01-01

This article describes the design specification of the Vapor Phase Catalytic Ammonia Removal (VPCAR) process and the relative benefits of its utilization in a Mars Transit Vehicle application. The VPCAR process is a wastewater treatment technology that combines distillation with high-temperature catalytic oxidation of volatile impurities such as ammonia and organic compounds.

Organic compounds in hydraulic fracturing fluids and wastewaters: A review.

PubMed

Luek, Jenna L; Gonsior, Michael

2017-10-15

High volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) of shale to stimulate the release of natural gas produces a large quantity of wastewater in the form of flowback fluids and produced water. These wastewaters are highly variable in their composition and contain a mixture of fracturing fluid additives, geogenic inorganic and organic substances, and transformation products. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of organic compounds identified in HVHF fluids, flowback fluids, and produced waters are reviewed here to communicate knowledge gaps that exist in the composition of HVHF wastewaters. In general, analyses of organic compounds have focused on those amenable to gas chromatography, focusing on volatile and semi-volatile oil and gas compounds. Studies of more polar and non-volatile organic compounds have been limited by a lack of knowledge of what compounds may be present as well as quantitative methods and standards available for analyzing these complex mixtures. Liquid chromatography paired with high-resolution mass spectrometry has been used to investigate a number of additives and will be a key tool to further research on transformation products that are increasingly solubilized through physical, chemical, and biological processes in situ and during environmental contamination events. Diverse treatments have been tested and applied to HVHF wastewaters but limited information has been published on the quantitative removal of individual organic compounds. This review focuses on recently published information on organic compounds identified in flowback fluids and produced waters from HVHF. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Malodorous volatile organic sulfur compounds: Sources, sinks and significance in inland waters.

PubMed

Watson, Susan B; Jüttner, Friedrich

2017-03-01

Volatile Organic Sulfur Compounds (VOSCs) are instrumental in global S-cycling and greenhouse gas production. VOSCs occur across a diversity of inland waters, and with widespread eutrophication and climate change, are increasingly linked with malodours in organic-rich waterbodies and drinking-water supplies. Compared with marine systems, the role of VOSCs in biogeochemical processes is far less well characterized for inland waters, and often involves different physicochemical and biological processes. This review provides an updated synthesis of VOSCs in inland waters, focusing on compounds known to cause malodours. We examine the major limnological and biochemical processes involved in the formation and degradation of alkylthiols, dialkylsulfides, dialkylpolysulfides, and other organosulfur compounds under different oxygen, salinity and mixing regimes, and key phototropic and heterotrophic microbial producers and degraders (bacteria, cyanobacteria, and algae) in these environs. The data show VOSC levels which vary significantly, sometimes far exceeding human odor thresholds, generated by a diversity of biota, biochemical pathways, enzymes and precursors. We also draw attention to major issues in sampling and analytical artifacts which bias and preclude comparisons among studies, and highlight significant knowledge gaps that need addressing with careful, appropriate methods to provide a more robust understanding of the potential effects of continued global development.

Characterization of Preferential Ground-Water Seepage From a Chlorinated Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Aquifer to West Branch Canal Creek, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, 2002-04

USGS Publications Warehouse

Majcher, Emily H.; Phelan, Daniel J.; Lorah, Michelle M.; McGinty, Angela L.

2007-01-01

Wetlands act as natural transition zones between ground water and surface water, characterized by the complex interdependency of hydrology, chemical and physical properties, and biotic effects. Although field and laboratory demonstrations have shown efficient natural attenuation processes in the non-seep wetland areas and stream bottom sediments of West Branch Canal Creek, chlorinated volatile organic compounds are present in a freshwater tidal creek at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Volatile organic compound concentrations in surface water indicate that in some areas of the wetland, preferential flow paths or seeps allow transport of organic compounds from the contaminated sand aquifer to the overlying surface water without undergoing natural attenuation. From 2002 through 2004, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Environmental Conservation and Restoration Division of the U.S. Army Garrison, Aberdeen Proving Ground, characterized preferential ground-water seepage as part of an ongoing investigation of contaminant distribution and natural attenuation processes in wetlands at this site. Seep areas were discrete and spatially consistent during thermal infrared surveys in 2002, 2003, and 2004 throughout West Branch Canal Creek wetlands. In these seep areas, temperature measurements in shallow pore water and sediment more closely resembled those in ground water than those in nearby surface water. Generally, pore water in seep areas contaminated with chlorinated volatile organic compounds had lower methane and greater volatile organic compound concentrations than pore water in non-seep wetland sediments. The volatile organic compounds detected in shallow pore water in seeps were spatially similar to the dominant volatile organic compounds in the underlying Canal Creek aquifer, with both parent and anaerobic daughter compounds detected. Seep locations characterized as focused seeps contained the highest concentrations of chlorinated parent compounds, relatively low concentrations of chlorinated daughter compounds, and insignificant concentrations of methane in shallow pore water samples. These seeps were primarily along the creek edge or formed a dendritic-like pattern between the wetland and creek channel. In contrast, seep locations characterized as diffuse seeps contained relatively high concentrations of chlorinated daughter compounds (or a mixture of daughter and parent compounds) and detectable methane concentrations in shallow pore water samples. These seeps were primarily along the wetland boundary. Qualitative thermal infrared surveys coupled with quantitative verification of temperature differences, and screening for volatile organic compound and methane concentrations proved to be effective tools in determining the overall extent of preferential seepage. Hydrologic and physical properties of wetland sediments were characterized at two focused and one diffuse seep location. In the seeps with focused discharge, measured seepage was consistent over the tidal cycle, whereas more variability with tidal fluctuation was measured in the diffuse seep location. At all locations, areas were identified within the general seep boundaries where discharge was minimal. In all cases, the geometric mean of non-zero vertical flux measurements was greater than those previously reported in the non-seep wetland sediments using flow-net analysis. Flux was greater in the focused discharge areas than in the diffuse discharge area, and all fluxes were within the range reported in the literature for wetland discharge. Vertical hydraulic conductivity estimated from seepage flux and a mean vertical gradient at seeps with focused discharge resulted in a minimum hydraulic conductivity two orders of magnitude greater than those estimated in the non-seep sediment. In contrast, vertical conductivity estimates at a diffuse seep were similar to estimates along a nearby line of section through a non-seep area. Horizontal hydraulic cond

Phytotoxic and antimicrobial activity of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds from the endophyte Hypoxylon anthochroum strain Blaci isolated from Bursera lancifolia (Burseraceae).

PubMed

Ulloa-Benítez, Á; Medina-Romero, Y M; Sánchez-Fernández, R E; Lappe-Oliveras, P; Roque-Flores, G; Duarte Lisci, G; Herrera Suárez, T; Macías-Rubalcava, M L

2016-08-01

To evaluate the phytotoxic, antifungal and antioomycete activity; and, determine the chemical composition of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile metabolites produced by the endophyte Hypoxylon anthochroum strain Blaci isolated from Bursera lancifolia. Based on its macro- and micro-morphological features, the strain Blaci was identified as Nodulisporium sp.; partial analysis of its ITS1-5.8-ITS2 ribosomal gene sequence revealed the identity of the teleomorphic stage of the fungus as H. anthochroum. Phytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of VOCs, and culture medium and mycelium organic extracts from H. anthochroum Blaci were determined by simple and multiple antagonism bioassays, and gas phase and agar dilution bioassays respectively. The volatile and semi-volatile metabolites were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. VOCs from a 5-day H. anthochroum strain Blaci culture caused the inhibition of seed germination, root elongation and seedling respiration on Amaranthus hypochondriacus, Panicum miliaceum, Trifolium pratense and Medicago sativa. In addition, extracts, phenylethyl alcohol and eucalyptol main compounds present in the VOCs and extract displayed a high phytotoxic activity, inhibiting the three physiological processes on the four test plants in a concentration-dependent manner. The results revealed that H. anthochroum strain Blaci produces a mixture of VOCs. These VOCs showed a strong phytotoxic activity on seed germination, root elongation, and seedling respiration of four plants and slightly affected the growth of phytopathogenic fungi and oomycetes. Also, the culture medium and mycelium extracts of H. anthochroum showed a high phytotoxic activity on the four test plants and, generally, the culture medium extract was more phytotoxic than the mycelium extracts. This work firstly reports the phytotoxic activity of volatile and semi-volatile compounds produced by the endophyte H. anthochroum strain Blaci on seed germination, root elongation, and seedling respiration of four different plants; consequently, these compounds could be useful in biocontrol of weeds and plant pathogens. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

A Water Recovery System Evolved for Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

ORourke, Mary Jane E.; Perry, Jay L.; Carter, Donald L.

2006-01-01

A new water recovery system designed towards fulfillment of NASA's Vision for Space Exploration is presented. This water recovery system is an evolution of the current state-of-the-art system. Through novel integration of proven technologies for air and water purification, this system promises to elevate existing technology to higher levels of optimization. The novel aspect of the system is twofold: Volatile organic contaminants will be removed from the cabin air via catalytic oxidation in the vapor phase, prior to their absorption into the aqueous phase, and vapor compression distillation technology will be used to process the condensate and hygiene waste streams in addition to the urine waste stream. Oxidation kinetics dictate that removal of volatile organic contaminants from the vapor phase is more efficient. Treatment of the various waste streams by VCD will reduce the load on the expendable ion exchange and adsorption media which follow, and on the aqueous-phase volatile removal assembly further downstream. Incorporating these advantages will reduce the weight, volume, and power requirements of the system, as well as resupply.

The impact of an urban-industrial region on the magnitude and variability of persistent organic pollutant deposition to Lake Michigan.

PubMed

Hornbuckle, Keri C; Green, Mark L

2003-09-01

A predictive model for gas-phase PCBs and trans-nonachlor over Lake Michigan has been constructed and the resulting data examined for trends. In this paper, we describe the model results to show how the magnitude and variability of a plume of contaminants from the Chicago area contributes to a highly variable region of net contaminant deposition over the entire lake. For the whole lake, gross annual deposition of PCBs is approximately 3200 kg, although the net annual gas exchange is not significantly different from zero. The data-driven model illustrates that on a daily basis, the net exchange of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) can change from net deposition to net volatilization depending on the area of plume impact. These findings suggest that i) control of urban areas can accelerate the rate of volatilization from lakes; and ii) release of POPs from urban areas is largely a result of volatilization processes.

Plant volatiles in a polluted atmosphere: stress response and signal degradation

PubMed Central

Blande, James D.; Holopainen, Jarmo K.; Niinemets, Ülo

2014-01-01

Plants emit a plethora of volatile organic compounds, which provide detailed information on the physiological condition of emitters. Volatiles induced by herbivore-feeding are among the best studied plant responses to stress and may constitute an informative message to the surrounding community and function in the process of plant defence. However, under natural conditions, plants are potentially exposed to multiple concurrent stresses, which can have complex effects on the volatile emissions. Atmospheric pollutants are an important facet of the abiotic environment and can impinge on a plant’s volatile-mediated defences in multiple ways at multiple temporal scales. They can exert changes in volatile emissions through oxidative stress, as is the case with ozone pollution. They may also react with volatiles in the atmosphere; such is the case for ozone, nitrogen oxides, hydroxyl radicals and other oxidizing atmospheric species. These reactions result in breakdown products, which may themselves be perceived by community members as informative signals. In this review we demonstrate the complex interplay between stress, emitted signals and modification in signal strength and composition by the atmosphere, collectively determining the responses of the biotic community to elicited signals. PMID:24738697

Ground-water contamination at an inactive coal and oil gasification plant site, Gas Works Park, Seattle, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Turney, G.L.; Goerlitz, D.F.

1989-01-01

Gas Works Park, in Seattle, Washington, is located on the site of a coal and oil gasification plant that ceased operation in 1956. During operation, many types of wastes, including coal, tar, and oil, accumulated on site. The park soil is presently (1986) contaminated with compounds such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, trace metals, and cyanide. Analyses of water samples from a network of observation wells in the park indicate that these compounds are also present in the groundwater. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds were identified in groundwater samples in concentrations as large as 200 mg/L. Concentrations of organic compounds were largest where groundwater was in contact with a nonaqueous phase liquid in the soil. Concentrations in groundwater were much smaller where no nonaqueous phase liquid was present, even if the groundwater was in contact with contaminated soils. This condition is attributed to weathering processes at the site, such as dissolution, volatilization, and biodegradation. Soluble, volatile, low-molecular-weight organic compounds are preferentially dissolved from the nonaqueous phase liquid into the groundwater. Where no nonaqueous phase liquid is present, only stained soils containing relatively insoluble, high-molecular-weight compounds remain; therefore, contaminant concentrations in the groundwater are much smaller. Concentrations of organic contaminants in the soils may still remain large. Values of specific conductance were as large as 5,280 microsiemens/cm, well above a background of 242 microsiemens/cm, suggesting large concentrations of minerals in the groundwater. Trace metal concentrations, however , were generally < 0.010 mg/L, and below limits of US EPA drinking water standards. Cyanide was present in groundwater samples from throughout the park, ranging in concentration from 0.01 to 8.6 mg/L. (Author 's abstract)

76 FR 51447 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-18

... trading pause process during periods of extraordinary market volatility as a pilot in S&P 500 Index stocks... Exchange LLC, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, New York Stock Exchange LLC, NYSE Amex LLC, NYSE Arca, Inc... Organizations; Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To Amend Article 20, Rule...

Constraining a hybrid volatility basis-set model for aging of wood-burning emissions using smog chamber experiments: a box-model study based on the VBS scheme of the CAMx model (v5.40)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciarelli, Giancarlo; El Haddad, Imad; Bruns, Emily; Aksoyoglu, Sebnem; Möhler, Ottmar; Baltensperger, Urs; Prévôt, André S. H.

2017-06-01

In this study, novel wood combustion aging experiments performed at different temperatures (263 and 288 K) in a ˜ 7 m3 smog chamber were modelled using a hybrid volatility basis set (VBS) box model, representing the emission partitioning and their oxidation against OH. We combine aerosol-chemistry box-model simulations with unprecedented measurements of non-traditional volatile organic compounds (NTVOCs) from a high-resolution proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) and with organic aerosol measurements from an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS). Due to this, we are able to observationally constrain the amounts of different NTVOC aerosol precursors (in the model) relative to low volatility and semi-volatile primary organic material (OMsv), which is partitioned based on current published volatility distribution data. By comparing the NTVOC / OMsv ratios at different temperatures, we determine the enthalpies of vaporization of primary biomass-burning organic aerosols. Further, the developed model allows for evaluating the evolution of oxidation products of the semi-volatile and volatile precursors with aging. More than 30 000 box-model simulations were performed to retrieve the combination of parameters that best fit the observed organic aerosol mass and O : C ratios. The parameters investigated include the NTVOC reaction rates and yields as well as enthalpies of vaporization and the O : C of secondary organic aerosol surrogates. Our results suggest an average ratio of NTVOCs to the sum of non-volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds of ˜ 4.75. The mass yields of these compounds determined for a wide range of atmospherically relevant temperatures and organic aerosol (OA) concentrations were predicted to vary between 8 and 30 % after 5 h of continuous aging. Based on the reaction scheme used, reaction rates of the NTVOC mixture range from 3.0 × 10-11 to 4. 0 × 10-11 cm3 molec-1 s-1. The average enthalpy of vaporization of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) surrogates was determined to be between 55 000 and 35 000 J mol-1, which implies a yield increase of 0.03-0.06 % K-1 with decreasing temperature. The improved VBS scheme is suitable for implementation into chemical transport models to predict the burden and oxidation state of primary and secondary biomass-burning aerosols.

40 CFR 59.505 - How do I demonstrate compliance with the reactivity limits?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSION STANDARDS FOR CONSUMER AND... Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in Consumer Products and Reactive Organic Compounds in Aerosol Coating...

Tracing the ingredients for a habitable earth from interstellar space through planet formation

PubMed Central

Bergin, Edwin A.; Blake, Geoffrey A.; Ciesla, Fred; Hirschmann, Marc M.; Li, Jie

2015-01-01

We use the C/N ratio as a monitor of the delivery of key ingredients of life to nascent terrestrial worlds. Total elemental C and N contents, and their ratio, are examined for the interstellar medium, comets, chondritic meteorites, and terrestrial planets; we include an updated estimate for the bulk silicate Earth (C/N = 49.0 ± 9.3). Using a kinetic model of disk chemistry, and the sublimation/condensation temperatures of primitive molecules, we suggest that organic ices and macromolecular (refractory or carbonaceous dust) organic material are the likely initial C and N carriers. Chemical reactions in the disk can produce nebular C/N ratios of ∼1–12, comparable to those of comets and the low end estimated for planetesimals. An increase of the C/N ratio is traced between volatile-rich pristine bodies and larger volatile-depleted objects subjected to thermal/accretional metamorphism. The C/N ratios of the dominant materials accreted to terrestrial planets should therefore be higher than those seen in carbonaceous chondrites or comets. During planetary formation, we explore scenarios leading to further volatile loss and associated C/N variations owing to core formation and atmospheric escape. Key processes include relative enrichment of nitrogen in the atmosphere and preferential sequestration of carbon by the core. The high C/N bulk silicate Earth ratio therefore is best satisfied by accretion of thermally processed objects followed by large-scale atmospheric loss. These two effects must be more profound if volatile sequestration in the core is effective. The stochastic nature of these processes hints that the surface/atmospheric abundances of biosphere-essential materials will likely be variable. PMID:26150527

Tracing the ingredients for a habitable earth from interstellar space through planet formation.

PubMed

Bergin, Edwin A; Blake, Geoffrey A; Ciesla, Fred; Hirschmann, Marc M; Li, Jie

2015-07-21

We use the C/N ratio as a monitor of the delivery of key ingredients of life to nascent terrestrial worlds. Total elemental C and N contents, and their ratio, are examined for the interstellar medium, comets, chondritic meteorites, and terrestrial planets; we include an updated estimate for the bulk silicate Earth (C/N = 49.0 ± 9.3). Using a kinetic model of disk chemistry, and the sublimation/condensation temperatures of primitive molecules, we suggest that organic ices and macromolecular (refractory or carbonaceous dust) organic material are the likely initial C and N carriers. Chemical reactions in the disk can produce nebular C/N ratios of ∼1-12, comparable to those of comets and the low end estimated for planetesimals. An increase of the C/N ratio is traced between volatile-rich pristine bodies and larger volatile-depleted objects subjected to thermal/accretional metamorphism. The C/N ratios of the dominant materials accreted to terrestrial planets should therefore be higher than those seen in carbonaceous chondrites or comets. During planetary formation, we explore scenarios leading to further volatile loss and associated C/N variations owing to core formation and atmospheric escape. Key processes include relative enrichment of nitrogen in the atmosphere and preferential sequestration of carbon by the core. The high C/N bulk silicate Earth ratio therefore is best satisfied by accretion of thermally processed objects followed by large-scale atmospheric loss. These two effects must be more profound if volatile sequestration in the core is effective. The stochastic nature of these processes hints that the surface/atmospheric abundances of biosphere-essential materials will likely be variable.

Modeling SOA formation from the oxidation of intermediate volatility n-alkanes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aumont, B.; Valorso, R.; Mouchel-Vallon, C.; Camredon, M.; Lee-Taylor, J.; Madronich, S.

2012-08-01

The chemical mechanism leading to SOA formation and ageing is expected to be a multigenerational process, i.e. a successive formation of organic compounds with higher oxidation degree and lower vapor pressure. This process is here investigated with the explicit oxidation model GECKO-A (Generator of Explicit Chemistry and Kinetics of Organics in the Atmosphere). Gas phase oxidation schemes are generated for the C8-C24 series of n-alkanes. Simulations are conducted to explore the time evolution of organic compounds and the behavior of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation for various preexisting organic aerosol concentration (COA). As expected, simulation results show that (i) SOA yield increases with the carbon chain length of the parent hydrocarbon, (ii) SOA yield decreases with decreasing COA, (iii) SOA production rates increase with increasing COA and (iv) the number of oxidation steps (i.e. generations) needed to describe SOA formation and evolution grows when COA decreases. The simulated oxidative trajectories are examined in a two dimensional space defined by the mean carbon oxidation state and the volatility. Most SOA contributors are not oxidized enough to be categorized as highly oxygenated organic aerosols (OOA) but reduced enough to be categorized as hydrocarbon like organic aerosols (HOA), suggesting that OOA may underestimate SOA. Results show that the model is unable to produce highly oxygenated aerosols (OOA) with large yields. The limitations of the model are discussed.

Modeling SOA formation from the oxidation of intermediate volatility n-alkanes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aumont, B.; Valorso, R.; Mouchel-Vallon, C.; Camredon, M.; Lee-Taylor, J.; Madronich, S.

2012-06-01

The chemical mechanism leading to SOA formation and ageing is expected to be a multigenerational process, i.e. a successive formation of organic compounds with higher oxidation degree and lower vapor pressure. This process is here investigated with the explicit oxidation model GECKO-A (Generator of Explicit Chemistry and Kinetics of Organics in the Atmosphere). Gas phase oxidation schemes are generated for the C8-C24 series of n-alkanes. Simulations are conducted to explore the time evolution of organic compounds and the behavior of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation for various preexisting organic aerosol concentration (COA). As expected, simulation results show that (i) SOA yield increases with the carbon chain length of the parent hydrocarbon, (ii) SOA yield decreases with decreasing COA, (iii) SOA production rates increase with increasing COA and (iv) the number of oxidation steps (i.e. generations) needed to describe SOA formation and evolution grows when COA decreases. The simulated oxidative trajectories are examined in a two dimensional space defined by the mean carbon oxidation state and the volatility. Most SOA contributors are not oxidized enough to be categorized as highly oxygenated organic aerosols (OOA) but reduced enough to be categorized as hydrocarbon like organic aerosols (HOA), suggesting that OOA may underestimate SOA. Results show that the model is unable to produce highly oxygenated aerosols (OOA) with large yields. The limitations of the model are discussed.

Broadband external cavity quantum cascade laser based sensor for gasoline detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Junya; He, Tianbo; Zhou, Sheng; Li, Jinsong

2018-02-01

A new type of tunable diode spectroscopy sensor based on an external cavity quantum cascade laser (ECQCL) and a quartz crystal tuning fork (QCTF) were used for quantitative analysis of volatile organic compounds. In this work, the sensor system had been tested on different gasoline sample analysis. For signal processing, the self-established interpolation algorithm and multiple linear regression algorithm model were used for quantitative analysis of major volatile organic compounds in gasoline samples. The results were very consistent with that of the standard spectra taken from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) database. In future, The ECQCL sensor will be used for trace explosive, chemical warfare agent, and toxic industrial chemical detection and spectroscopic analysis, etc.

Review of Portable and Low-Cost Sensors for the Ambient Air Monitoring of Benzene and Other Volatile Organic Compounds

PubMed Central

Kok, Gertjan; Persijn, Stefan; Sauerwald, Tilman

2017-01-01

This article presents a literature review of sensors for the monitoring of benzene in ambient air and other volatile organic compounds. Combined with information provided by stakeholders, manufacturers and literature, the review considers commercially available sensors, including PID-based sensors, semiconductor (resistive gas sensors) and portable on-line measuring devices as for example sensor arrays. The bibliographic collection includes the following topics: sensor description, field of application at fixed sites, indoor and ambient air monitoring, range of concentration levels and limit of detection in air, model descriptions of the phenomena involved in the sensor detection process, gaseous interference selectivity of sensors in complex VOC matrix, validation data in lab experiments and under field conditions. PMID:28657595

Review of Portable and Low-Cost Sensors for the Ambient Air Monitoring of Benzene and Other Volatile Organic Compounds.

PubMed

Spinelle, Laurent; Gerboles, Michel; Kok, Gertjan; Persijn, Stefan; Sauerwald, Tilman

2017-06-28

This article presents a literature review of sensors for the monitoring of benzene in ambient air and other volatile organic compounds. Combined with information provided by stakeholders, manufacturers and literature, the review considers commercially available sensors, including PID-based sensors, semiconductor (resistive gas sensors) and portable on-line measuring devices as for example sensor arrays. The bibliographic collection includes the following topics: sensor description, field of application at fixed sites, indoor and ambient air monitoring, range of concentration levels and limit of detection in air, model descriptions of the phenomena involved in the sensor detection process, gaseous interference selectivity of sensors in complex VOC matrix, validation data in lab experiments and under field conditions.

Challenges and solutions for biofiltration of hydrophobic volatile organic compounds.

PubMed

Cheng, Yan; He, Huijun; Yang, Chunping; Zeng, Guangming; Li, Xiang; Chen, Hong; Yu, Guanlong

2016-11-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted to the environment highly probably result in ecological and health risks. Many biotechnologies for waste gases containing hydrophobic VOCs have been developed in recent years. However, these biological processes usually exhibit poor removal performances for hydrophobic VOCs due to the low bioavailability. This review presents an overview of enhanced removal of hydrophobic VOCs in biofilters. Mechanisms and problems relevant to the biological removal of hydrophobic VOCs are reviewed, and then solutions including the addition of surfactants, application of fungal biocatalysts, biofiltration with pretreatment, innovative bioreactors and utilization of hydrophilic compounds are discussed in detail. Future research needs are also proposed. This review provides new insights into hydrophobic VOC removal by biofiltration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Global transformation and fate of SOA: Implications of Low Volatility SOA and Gas-Phase Fragmentation Reactions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shrivastava, ManishKumar B.; Easter, Richard C.; Liu, Xiaohong

2015-05-16

Secondary organic aerosols (SOA) are large contributors to fine particle loadings and radiative forcing, but are often represented crudely in global models. We have implemented three new detailed SOA treatments within the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5) that allow us to compare the semi-volatile versus non-volatile SOA treatments (based on some of the latest experimental findings) and also investigate the effects of gas-phase fragmentation reactions. For semi-volatile SOA treatments, fragmentation reactions decrease simulated SOA burden from 7.5 Tg to 1.8 Tg. For the non-volatile SOA treatment with fragmentation, the burden is 3.1 Tg. Larger differences between non-volatile and semi-volatilemore » SOA (upto a factor of 5) correspond to continental outflow over the oceans. Compared to a global dataset of surface Aerosol Mass Spectrometer measurements and the US IMPROVE network measurements, the non-volatile SOA with fragmentation treatment (FragNVSOA) agrees best at rural locations. Urban SOA is under-predicted but this may be due to the coarse model resolution. All our three revised treatments show much better agreement with aircraft measurements of organic aerosols (OA) over the N. American Arctic and sub-Arctic in spring and summer, compared to the standard CAM5 formulation. This is due to treating SOA precursor gases from biomass burning, and long-range transport of biomass burning OA at elevated levels. The revised model configuration that include fragmentation (both semi-volatile and non-volatile SOA) show much better agreement with MODIS AOD data over regions dominated by biomass burning during the summer, and predict biomass burning as the largest global source of OA followed by biogenic and anthropogenic sources. The non-volatile and semi-volatile configuration predict the direct radiative forcing of SOA as -0.5 W m-2 and -0.26 W m-2 respectively, at top of the atmosphere, which are higher than previously estimated by most models, but in reasonable agreement with a recent constrained modeling study. This study highlights the importance of improving process-level representation of SOA in global models.« less

Sensitivity of Aerosol Mass and Microphysics to varying treatments of Condensational Growth of Secondary Organic Compounds in a regional model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowe, Douglas; Topping, David; McFiggans, Gordon

2017-04-01

Gas to particle partitioning of atmospheric compounds occurs through disequilibrium mass transfer rather than through instantaneous equilibrium. However, it is common to treat only the inorganic compounds as partitioning dynamically whilst organic compounds, represented by the Volatility Basis Set (VBS), are partitioned instantaneously. In this study we implement a more realistic dynamic partitioning of organic compounds in a regional framework and assess impact on aerosol mass and microphysics. It is also common to assume condensed phase water is only associated with inorganic components. We thus also assess sensitivity to assuming all organics are hygroscopic according to their prescribed molecular weight. For this study we use WRF-Chem v3.4.1, focusing on anthropogenic dominated North-Western Europe. Gas-phase chemistry is represented using CBM-Z whilst aerosol dynamics are simulated using the 8-section MOSAIC scheme, including a 9-bin VBS treatment of organic aerosol. Results indicate that predicted mass loadings can vary significantly. Without gas phase ageing of higher volatility compounds, dynamic partitioning always results in lower mass loadings downwind of emission sources. The inclusion of condensed phase water in both partitioning models increases the predicted PM mass, resulting from a larger contribution from higher volatility organics, if present. If gas phase ageing of VBS compounds is allowed to occur in a dynamic model, this can often lead to higher predicted mass loadings, contrary to expected behaviour from a simple non-reactive gas phase box model. As descriptions of aerosol phase processes improve within regional models, the baseline descriptions of partitioning should retain the ability to treat dynamic partitioning of organics compounds. Using our simulations, we discuss whether derived sensitivities to aerosol processes in existing models may be inherently biased. This work was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council within the RONOCO (NE/F004656/1) and CCN-Vol (NE/L007827/1) projects.

AN APPROACH TO A UNIFIED PROCESS-BASED REGIONAL EMISSION FLUX MODELING PLATFORM

EPA Science Inventory

The trend towards episodic modeling of environmentally-dependent emissions is increasing, with models available or under development for dust, ammonia, biogenic volatile organic compounds, soil nitrous oxide, pesticides, sea salt, and chloride, mercury, and wildfire emissions. T...

MEMBRANE BIOTREATMENT OF VOC-LADEN AIR

EPA Science Inventory

The paper discusses membrane biotreatment of air laden with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Microporous flat-sheet and hollow-fiber membrane contactors were used to support air-liquid mass transfer interfaces. These modules were used in a two-step process to transfer VOCs fr...

Volatile organic compound constituents from an integrated iron and steel facility.

PubMed

Tsai, Jiun-Horng; Lin, Kuo-Hsiung; Chen, Chih-Yu; Lai, Nina; Ma, Sen-Yi; Chiang, Hung-Lung

2008-09-15

This study measured the volatile organic compound (VOC) constituents of four processes in an integrated iron and steel industry; cokemaking, sintering, hot forming, and cold forming. Toluene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, isopentane, m,p-xylene, 1-butene, ethylbenzene, and benzene were the predominant VOC species in these processes. However, some of the chlorinated compounds were high (hundreds ppbv), i.e., trichloroethylene in all four processes, carbon tetrachloride in the hot forming process, chlorobenzene in the cold forming process, and bromomethane in the sintering process. In the sintering process, the emission factors of toluene, benzene, xylene, isopentane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and ethylbenzene were over 9 g/tonne-product. In the vicinity of the manufacturing plant, toluene, isopentane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, xylene and ethylbenzene were high. Toluene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, xylene, 1-butene and isopentane were the major ozone formation species. Aromatic compounds were the predominant VOC groups, constituting 45-70% of the VOC concentration and contributing >70% to the high ozone formation potential in the stack exhaust and workplace air. The sequence of VOC concentration and ozone formation potential was as follows: cold forming>sintering>hot forming>cokemaking. For the workplace air, cokemaking was the highest producer, which was attributed to the fugitive emissions of the coke oven and working process release.

Volatile organic compound emissions from engineered wood products

Treesearch

Steve Zylkowski; Charles Frihart

2017-01-01

Thirteen bonded engineered wood products representing those commonly used in building construction were evaluated for volatile organic chemicals using methods developed for interior bonded wood products. Although formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were emitted from all samples, they were not the dominant volatiles, which greatly depended on wood species and bonding...

Volatiles (H, C, N, O, noble gases) in comets as tracers of early solar system events (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marty, B.

2013-12-01

Volatiles (H, C, N, O, noble gases) present the largest variations in their relative abundances and, importantly, in their isotopic ratios, among solar system elements. The original composition of the protosolar nebula has been investigated through the measurements of primitive meteorites and of in-situ (e.g. Galileo probe analysis of the Jupiter's atmosphere) and sample-return (Genesis, recovery and analysis of solar wind) missions. The protosolar gas was poor in deuterium, in 15N and in 17,18O. Variations among solar system reservoir reach several hundreds of percents for the D/H and 15N/14N ratios. These variations are possibly : (i) due to interactions between XUV photons of the proto-Sun and the-dust, (ii) result from low temperature ion-molecule reactions, or (iii) constitute an heritage on interstellar volatiles trapped in dust (e.g., organics). Likewise, noble gases are elementally and isotopically (1% per amu for xenon) fractionated with respect to the composition of the solar wind (our best proxy for the protosolar nebula composition). Cometary matter directly measured on coma, or in Stardust material, or in IDPs, seems to present among the largest heterogeneities in their stable isotope compositions but knowledge on their precise compositions of the different phases and species is partial and mosty lacking. Among the several important issues requiring a better knowledge of cometary volatiles are the origin(s) of volatile elements on Earth and Moon, on Mars and on Venus, understanding large scale circulation of matter between hot and frozen zones, and the possibility of interstellar heritage for organics. Critical measurements to be made by the next cometary missions include the value of the D/H ratio in water ice, in NH3 and organics. Nitrogen is particularly interesting as cometary HCN and CN are rich in 15N, but an isotoppe mass balance will require to measure the main host species (N2 ?). Noble gases are excellent tracers of physical processes, including the delivery of volatile elements onto planets and atmospheric escape processes, but their cometary inventory is almost not known. The only noble gas (helium and neon) measurement in cometary matter from Stardust suggests that they may be genetically linked to organic matter found in primitive meteorites rather than to the proto-solar gas. Trapping of noble gases in comets is an important issue not only for the physical conditions of cometary formation and evolution, but also for better understanding the possible contribution of cometary matter to Earth and Moon.

Aqueous organic chemistry in the atmosphere: sources and chemical processing of organic aerosols.

PubMed

McNeill, V Faye

2015-02-03

Over the past decade, it has become clear that aqueous chemical processes occurring in cloud droplets and wet atmospheric particles are an important source of organic atmospheric particulate matter. Reactions of water-soluble volatile (or semivolatile) organic gases (VOCs or SVOCs) in these aqueous media lead to the formation of highly oxidized organic particulate matter (secondary organic aerosol; SOA) and key tracer species, such as organosulfates. These processes are often driven by a combination of anthropogenic and biogenic emissions, and therefore their accurate representation in models is important for effective air quality management. Despite considerable progress, mechanistic understanding of some key aqueous processes is still lacking, and these pathways are incompletely represented in 3D atmospheric chemistry and air quality models. In this article, the concepts, historical context, and current state of the science of aqueous pathways of SOA formation are discussed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parthasarathy, Srinandini; McKone, Thomas E.; Apte, Michael G.

This report summarizes the screening procedure and its results for selecting contaminants of concern (COC), whose concentrations are affected by ventilation in commercial buildings. Many pollutants comprising criteria pollutants, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and biological contaminants are found in commercial buildings. In this report, we focus primarily on identifying potential volatile organic COC, which are impacted by ventilation. In the future we plan to extend this effort to inorganic gases and particles. Our screening considers compounds detected frequently in indoor air and compares the concentrations to health-guidelines and thresholds. However, given the range of buildings undermore » consideration, the contaminant sources and their concentrations will vary depending on the activity and use of the buildings. We used a literature review to identify a large list of chemicals found in commercial-building indoor air. The VOCs selected were subject to a two stage screening process, and the compounds of greater interest are included in priority List A. Other VOCs that have been detected in commercial buildings are included in priority List B. The compounds in List B, were further classified into groups B1, B2, B3, B4 in order of decreasing interest.« less

Analysis of volatile metabolites in biological fluids as indicators of prodromal disease condition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zlatkis, A.

1982-01-01

The volatile profile cannot be defined as a single class of substances, rather it is a broad spectrum of materials of different polarities characterized by having a boiling-point in the low to medium range (up to approximately 300 C) and the fact that the compounds are suitable for gas chromatography without derivatization. The organic volatile profiles are very complex mixtures of metabolic byproducts, intermediates, and terminal products of enzymatic degradations composed mainly of alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, pyrazines, sulfides, isothiocyanates, pyrroles, and furans. The concentration of organic volatiles in biological fluids covers a wide range with many important components present at trace levels. The complexity of the organic volatile fraction requires the use of capillary columns for their separation.

Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds Emitted by Plant Growth-Promoting Fungus Phoma sp. GS8-3 for Growth Promotion Effects on Tobacco

PubMed Central

Naznin, Hushna Ara; Kimura, Minako; Miyazawa, Mitsuo; Hyakumachi, Mitsuro

2013-01-01

We extracted volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by a plant growth-promoting fungus (PGPF) Phoma sp. GS8-3 by gas chromatography and identified them by mass spectrometry. All of the identified compounds belonged to C4-C8 hydrocarbons. Volatiles varied in number and quantity by the culture period of the fungus (in days). 2-Methyl-propanol and 3-methyl-butanol formed the main components of the volatile blends for all the culture periods of fungus. Growth-promoting effects of the identified synthetic compounds were analyzed individually and in blends using tobacco plants. We found that the mixture of volatiles extracted from 3-day-old culture showed significant growth promotion in tobacco in vitro. The volatile blend showed better growth promotion at lower than higher concentrations. Our results confirm the potential role of volatile organic compounds in the mechanism of growth enhancement by GS8-3. PMID:23080408

Determination of volatile organic acids in oriental tobacco by needle-based derivatization headspace liquid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Sun, Shi-Hao; Xie, Jian-Ping; Xie, Fu-Wei; Zong, Yong-Li

2008-02-01

A method coupling needle-based derivatization headspace liquid-phase microextraction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-LPME/GC-MS) was developed to determine volatile organic acids in tobacco. The mixture of N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide and decane was utilized as the solvent for HS-LPME, resulting that extraction and derivatization were simultaneously completed in one step. The solvent served two purposes. First, it pre-concentrated volatile organic acids in the headspace of tobacco sample. Second, the volatile organic acids extracted were derivatized to form silyl derivatives in the drop. The main parameters affecting needle-based derivatization HS-LPME procedure such as extraction and derivatization reagent, microdrop volume, extraction and derivatization time, and preheating temperature and preheating time were optimized. The standard addition approach was essential to obtain accurate measurements by minimizing matrix effects. Good linearity (R(2)> or =0.9804) and good repeatability (RSDs< or =15.3%, n=5) for 16 analytes in spiked standard analytes sample were achieved. The method has the additional advantages that at the same time it is simple, fast, effective, sensitive, selective, and provides an overall profile of volatile organic acids in the oriental tobacco. This paper does offer an alternative approach to determine volatile organic acids in tobacco.

Fungal colonization of air filters and insulation in a multi-story office building: production of volatile organics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahearn, D. G.; Crow, S. A.; Simmons, R. B.; Price, D. L.; Mishra, S. K.; Pierson, D. L.

1997-01-01

Secondary air filters in the air-handling units on four floors of a multi-story office building with a history of fungal colonization of insulation within the air distribution system were examined for the presence of growing fungi and production of volatile organic compounds. Fungal mycelium and conidia of Cladosporium and Penicillium spp. were observed on insulation from all floors and both sides of the air filters from one floor. Lower concentrations of volatile organics were released from air filter medium colonized with fungi as compared with noncolonized filter medium. However, the volatiles from the colonized filter medium included fungal metabolites such as acetone and a carbonyl sulfide-like compound that were not released from noncolonized filter medium. The growth of fungi in air distribution systems may affect the content of volatile organics in indoor air.

Fungal colonization of air filters and insulation in a multi-story office building: production of volatile organics.

PubMed

Ahearn, D G; Crow, S A; Simmons, R B; Price, D L; Mishra, S K; Pierson, D L

1997-11-01

Secondary air filters in the air-handling units on four floors of a multi-story office building with a history of fungal colonization of insulation within the air distribution system were examined for the presence of growing fungi and production of volatile organic compounds. Fungal mycelium and conidia of Cladosporium and Penicillium spp. were observed on insulation from all floors and both sides of the air filters from one floor. Lower concentrations of volatile organics were released from air filter medium colonized with fungi as compared with noncolonized filter medium. However, the volatiles from the colonized filter medium included fungal metabolites such as acetone and a carbonyl sulfide-like compound that were not released from noncolonized filter medium. The growth of fungi in air distribution systems may affect the content of volatile organics in indoor air.

Integrated Ion Exchange Regeneration Process for Drinking Water

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

Volatile Organic Carbon 1 . INTRODUCTION - This report describes an evaluation of the synthesis of an ion exchange (IX) process for perchlorate...Absorption Spectroscopy 1 ,2-dibromo-3- chloropropane Dibenzofurans Disinfectants and disinfection by-products Decafluorotriphenylphosphine The...Public reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions

D-Area Drip Irrigation/Phytoremediation Project: SRTC Report on Phase 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilde, E.W.

2001-09-11

The overall objective of this project is to evaluate a novel drip irrigation-phytoremediation process for remediating volatile organic contaminants (VOCs), primarily trichloroethylene (TCE), from groundwater in D-Area at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The process is expected to be less expensive and more beneficial to the environment than alternative TCE remediation technologies.

Infrared Spectroscopy of Wild 2 Particle Hypervelocity Tracks in Stardust Aerogel: Evidence for the presence of Volatile Organics in Comet Dust

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bajt, S; Sandford, S A; Flynn, G J

2007-08-28

Infrared spectroscopy maps of some tracks, made by cometary dust from 81P/Wild 2 impacting Stardust aerogel, reveal an interesting distribution of volatile organic material. Out of six examined tracks three show presence of volatile organic components possibly injected into the aerogel during particle impacts. When particle tracks contained excess volatile organic material, they were found to be -CH{sub 2}-rich. Off-normal particle tracks could indicate impacts by lower velocity particles that could have bounced off the Whipple shield, therefore carry off some contamination from it. However, this theory is not supported by data that show excess organic-rich material in normal andmore » off-normal particle tracks. It is clear that the population of cometary particles impacting the Stardust aerogel collectors also include grains that contained little or none of this volatile organic component. This observation is consistent with the highly heterogeneous nature of the collected grains, as seen by a multitude of other analytical techniques. We propose that at least some of the volatile organic material might be of cometary origin based on supporting data shown in this paper. However, we also acknowledge the presence of carbon (primarily as -CH{sub 3}) in the original aerogel, which complicates interpretation of these results.« less

Elucidating the Chemical Complexity of Organic Aerosol Constituents Measured During the Southeastern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yee, L.; Isaacman, G. A.; Spielman, S. R.; Worton, D. R.; Zhang, H.; Kreisberg, N. M.; Wilson, K. R.; Hering, S. V.; Goldstein, A. H.

2013-12-01

Thousands of volatile organic compounds are uniquely created in the atmosphere, many of which undergo chemical transformations that result in more highly-oxidized and often lower vapor pressure species. These species can contribute to secondary organic aerosol, a complex mixture of organic compounds that is still not chemically well-resolved. Organic aerosol collected on filters taken during the Southeastern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) constitute hundreds of unique chemical compounds. Some of these include known anthropogenic and biogenic tracers characterized using standardized analytical techniques (e.g. GC-MS, UPLC, LC-MS), but the majority of the chemical diversity has yet to be explored. By employing analytical techniques involving sample derivatization and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) with high-resolution-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HR-ToF-MS), we elucidate the chemical complexity of the organic aerosol matrix along the volatility and polarity grids. Further, by utilizing both electron impact (EI) and novel soft vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) ionization mass spectrometry, a greater fraction of the organic mass is fully speciated. The GC x GC-HR-ToF-MS with EI/VUV technique efficiently provides an unprecedented level of speciation for complex ambient samples. We present an extensive chemical characterization and quantification of organic species that goes beyond typical atmospheric tracers in the SOAS samples. We further demonstrate that complex organic mixtures can be chemically deconvoluted by elucidation of chemical formulae, volatility, functionality, and polarity. These parameters provide insight into the sources (anthropogenic vs. biogenic), chemical processes (oxidation pathways), and environmental factors (temperature, humidity), controlling organic aerosol growth in the Southeastern United States.

Real-Time and Delayed Analysis of Tree and Shrub Cores as Indicators of Subsurface Volatile Organic Compound Contamination, Durham Meadows Superfund Site, Durham, Connecticut, August 29, 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vroblesky, Don A.; Willey, Richard E.; Clifford, Scott; Murphy, James J.

2008-01-01

This study examined volatile organic compound concentrations in cores from trees and shrubs for use as indicators of vadose-zone contamination or potential vapor intrusion by volatile organic compounds into buildings at the Durham Meadows Superfund Site, Durham, Connecticut. The study used both (1) real-time tree- and shrub-core analysis, which involved field heating the core samples for 5 to 10 minutes prior to field analysis, and (2) delayed analysis, which involved allowing the gases in the cores to equilibrate with the headspace gas in the sample vials unheated for 1 to 2 days prior to analysis. General correspondence was found between the two approaches, indicating that preheating and field analysis of vegetation cores is a viable approach to real-time monitoring of subsurface volatile organic compounds. In most cases, volatile organic compounds in cores from trees and shrubs at the Merriam Manufacturing Company property showed a general correspondence to the distribution of volatile organic compounds detected in a soil-gas survey, despite the fact that most of the soil-gas survey data in close proximity to the relevant trees were collected about 3 years prior to the tree-core collection. Most of the trees cored at the Durham Meadows Superfund Site, outside of the Merriam Manufacturing Company property, contained no volatile organic compounds and were in areas where indoor air sampling and soil-gas sampling showed little or no volatile organic compound concentrations. An exception was tree DM11, which contained barely detectable concentrations of trichloroethene near a house where previous investigations found low concentrations of trichloroethene (0.13 to 1.2 parts per billion by volume) in indoor air and 7.7 micrograms per liter of trichloroethene in the ground water. The barely detectable concentration of trichloroethene in tree DM11 and the lack of volatile organic compound detection in nearby tree DM10 (adjacent to the well having 7.7 micrograms of trichloroethene) may be attributable to the relatively large depth to water (17.6 feet), the relatively low soil-vapor trichloroethene concentration, and the large amount of rainfall during and preceding the tree-coring event. The data indicate that real-time and delayed analyses of tree cores are viable approaches to examining subsurface volatile organic compound soil-gas or vadose-zone contamination at the Durham Meadows Superfund Site and other similar sites. Thus, the methods may have application for determining the potential for vapor intrusion into buildings.

Recent advances in understanding secondary organic aerosols: implications for global climate forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrivastava, Manish

2017-04-01

Anthropogenic emissions and land-use changes have modified atmospheric aerosol concentrations and size distributions over time. Understanding pre-industrial conditions and changes in organic aerosol due to anthropogenic activities is important because these features 1) influence estimates of aerosol radiative forcing and 2) can confound estimates of the historical response of climate to increases in greenhouse gases (e.g. the 'climate sensitivity'). Secondary organic aerosol (SOA), formed in the atmosphere by oxidation of organic gases, often represents a major fraction of global submicron-sized atmospheric organic aerosol. Over the past decade, significant advances in understanding SOA properties and formation mechanisms have occurred through measurements, yet current climate models typically do not comprehensively include all important processes. This presentation is based on a US Department of Energy Atmospheric Systems Research sponsored workshop, which highlighted key SOA processes overlooked in climate models that could greatly affect climate forcing estimates. We will highlight the importance of processes that influence the growth of SOA particles to sizes relevant for clouds and radiative forcing, including: formation of extremely low-volatility organics in the gas-phase; isoprene epoxydiols (IEPOX) multi-phase chemistry; particle-phase oligomerization; and physical properties such as viscosity. We also highlight some of the recently discovered important processes that involve interactions between natural biogenic emissions and anthropogenic emissions such as effects of sulfur and NOx emissions on SOA. We will present examples of integrated model-measurement studies that relate the observed evolution of organic aerosol mass and number with knowledge of particle properties such as volatility and viscosity. We will also highlight the importance of continuing efforts to rank the most influential SOA processes that affect climate forcing, but are often missing in climate models. Ultimately, gas- and particle-phase chemistry processes that capture the dynamic evolution of number and mass concentrations of SOA particles need to be accurately and efficiently represented in regional and global atmospheric chemistry-climate models.

Lactic acid and methane: improved exploitation of biowaste potential.

PubMed

Dreschke, G; Probst, M; Walter, A; Pümpel, T; Walde, J; Insam, H

2015-01-01

This feasibility study investigated a two-step biorefining approach to increase the value gained by recycling of organic municipal solid waste. Firstly, lactic acid was produced via batch fermentation at 37°C using the indigenous microbiome. Experiments revealed an optimal fermentation period of 24h resulting in high yields of lactic acid (up to 37gkg(-1)). The lactic acid proportion of total volatile fatty acid content reached up to 83%. Lactobacilli were selectively enriched to up to 75% of the bacterial community. Additionally conversion of organic matter to lactic acid was increased from 22% to 30% through counteracting end product inhibition by continuous lactic acid extraction. Secondly, fermentation residues were used as co-substrate in biomethane production yielding up to 618±41Nmlbiomethaneg(-1) volatile solids. Digestate, the only end product of this process can be used as organic fertilizer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biological upgrading of volatile fatty acids, key intermediates for the valorization of biowaste through dark anaerobic fermentation.

PubMed

Singhania, Reeta Rani; Patel, Anil Kumar; Christophe, Gwendoline; Fontanille, Pierre; Larroche, Christian

2013-10-01

VFAs can be obtained from lignocellulosic agro-industrial wastes, sludge, and various biodegradable organic wastes as key intermediates through dark fermentation processes and synthesized through chemical route also. They are building blocks of several organic compounds viz. alcohol, aldehyde, ketones, esters and olefins. These can serve as alternate carbon source for microbial biolipid, biohydrogen, microbial fuel cells productions, methanisation, and for denitrification. Organic wastes are the substrate for VFA platform that is of zero or even negative cost, giving VFA as intermediate product but their separation from the fermentation broth is still a challenge; however, several separation technologies have been developed, membrane separation being the most suitable one. These aspects will be reviewed and results obtained during anaerobic treatment of slaughterhouse wastes with further utilisation of volatile fatty acids for yeast cultivation have been discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Weed seed inactivation in soil mesocosms via biosolarization with mature compost and tomato processing waste amendments.

PubMed

Achmon, Yigal; Fernández-Bayo, Jesús D; Hernandez, Katie; McCurry, Dlinka G; Harrold, Duff R; Su, Joey; Dahlquist-Willard, Ruth M; Stapleton, James J; VanderGheynst, Jean S; Simmons, Christopher W

2017-05-01

Biosolarization is a fumigation alternative that combines passive solar heating with amendment-driven soil microbial activity to temporarily create antagonistic soil conditions, such as elevated temperature and acidity, that can inactivate weed seeds and other pest propagules. The aim of this study was to use a mesocosm-based field trial to assess soil heating, pH, volatile fatty acid accumulation and weed seed inactivation during biosolarization. Biosolarization for 8 days using 2% mature green waste compost and 2 or 5% tomato processing residues in the soil resulted in accumulation of volatile fatty acids in the soil, particularly acetic acid, and >95% inactivation of Brassica nigra and Solanum nigrum seeds. Inactivation kinetics data showed that near complete weed seed inactivation in soil was achieved within the first 5 days of biosolarization. This was significantly greater than the inactivation achieved in control soils that were solar heated without amendment or were amended but not solar heated. The composition and concentration of organic matter amendments in soil significantly affected volatile fatty acid accumulation at various soil depths during biosolarization. Combining solar heating with organic matter amendment resulted in accelerated weed seed inactivation compared with either approach alone. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Understanding chemistry behind secondary aerosol production from nitrogen and sulfur compounds from agriculture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agricultural emissions impact particulate mass concentrations through both primary and secondary processes. Evidence from laboratory and field work suggest that not only does ammonia produce secondary particulate matter, but nitrogen and sulfur containing volatile organic compounds also contribute. ...

ANALYTICAL METHOD CHECKLIST FOR VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS BY GC/MS (HANDOUT)

EPA Science Inventory

The Land Remediation and Pollution Control Division (LRPCD) QA Manager strives to assist LRPCD researchers in developing functional planning documents for their research projects. As part of the planning process, several pieces of information are needed, including information re...

IN SITU AND SOIL DECONTAMINATION BY RADIO FREQUENCY HEATING

EPA Science Inventory

In situ radio frequency heating is performed by applying electromagnetic energy in the radio frequency band to an array of electrodes placed in bore holes drilled through the contaminated soil. he process removes organic contaminants from large volumes of soil by volatilization, ...

INTERCOMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVE VEGETATION DATABASES FOR REGIONAL AIR QUALITY MODELING

EPA Science Inventory

Vegetation cover data are used to characterize several regional air quality modeling processes, including the calculation of heat, moisture, and momentum fluxes with the Mesoscale Meteorological Model (MM5) and the estimate of biogenic volatile organic compound and nitric oxide...

The Chemistry and Metabolism of Arsenic

EPA Science Inventory

I. IntrodctionA century of study of the process by which many organisms convert inorganic arsenic into an array of methylated metabolites has answered many questions and has posed some new ones. The capacity of microorganisms to. form volatile arsenic compounds was first recogniz...

77 FR 9275 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated; Notice of Filing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-16

... ETF Volatility Index, the CBOE Brazil ETF Volatility Index and CBOE Oil ETF Volatility Index February... Schedule to establish fees for transactions in options on the CBOE Emerging Market ETF Volatility Index (``VXEEM''), the CBOE Brazil ETF Volatility Index (``VXEWZ'') and the CBOE Crude Oil ETF Volatility Index...

Cold-trapped organic compounds at the poles of the Moon and Mercury: Implications for origins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jo Ann; Paige, David A.

2009-08-01

We have calculated evaporation rates for a range of organic compounds that may be cold-trapped at the poles of the Moon and Mercury. Organics vary widely in their volatilities and thus can be stable to evaporation at higher and lower temperatures than water. The detection of cold-trapped organics would point to volatile delivery by impacts, as comets and asteroids are the only plausible sources for organic molecules. The characterization of cold-trapped organics on both bodies may provide constraints on the thermal evolution of cold traps over time and the history of volatiles in the inner solar system.

Corrosion Finishing/Coating Systems for DoD Metallic Substrates Based on Non-Chromate Inhibitors and UV Curable, Zero VOC Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

Corrosion resistant coatings containing non-chromate inhibitors and no volatile organic compounds were developed and evaluated for DoD applications...Transmission Electron Microscopy TRI – Toxic Release Inventory UV – Ultraviolet UVAs – Ultraviolet Absorbers VOCs – Volatile Organic Compounds XPS – X...containing non-chromate inhibitors and no volatile organic compounds were developed and evaluated for DoD applications. The technical effort

Use of integrated indoor concentrations of tracer gases and volatile organic compounds to distinguish soil sources from above-ground sources

EPA Science Inventory

Vapor intrusion refers to the situation in which harmful chemicals [such as halogenated or chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOC) or petroleum products] in the groundwater or soil volatilize in the vadose zone and migrate into the indoor environment. These chemicals typical...

76 FR 61450 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Stock Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-04

... Methodology for Determining When To Halt Trading in All Stocks Due to Extraordinary Market Volatility... all stocks due to extraordinary market volatility. II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the... determining when to halt trading in all stocks due to extraordinary market volatility. The Exchange is...

Adsorption of selected volatile organic vapors on multiwall carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Shih, Yang-hsin; Li, Mei-syue

2008-06-15

Carbon nanotubes are expected to play an important role in sensing, pollution treatment and separation techniques. This study examines the adsorption behaviors of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), n-hexane, benzene, trichloroethylene and acetone on two multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), CNT1 and CNT2. Among these VOCs, acetone exhibits the highest adsorption capacity. The highest adsorption enthalpies and desorption energies of acetone were also observed. The strong chemical interactions between acetone and both MWCNTs may be the result from chemisorption on the topological defects. The adsorption heats of trichloroethylene, benzene, and n-hexane are indicative of physisorption on the surfaces of both MWCNTs. CNT2 presents a higher adsorption capacity than CNT1 due to the existence of an exterior amorphous carbon layer on CNT2. The amorphous carbon enhances the adsorption capacity of organic chemicals on carbon nanotubes. The morphological and structure order of carbon nanotubes are the primary affects on the adsorption process of organic chemicals.

Measurement of non-volatile particle number size distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gkatzelis, G. I.; Papanastasiou, D. K.; Florou, K.; Kaltsonoudis, C.; Louvaris, E.; Pandis, S. N.

2015-06-01

An experimental methodology was developed to measure the non-volatile particle number concentration using a thermodenuder (TD). The TD was coupled with a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer, measuring the chemical composition and mass size distribution of the submicrometer aerosol and a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) that provided the number size distribution of the aerosol in the range from 10 to 500 nm. The method was evaluated with a set of smog chamber experiments and achieved almost complete evaporation (> 98 %) of secondary organic as well as freshly nucleated particles, using a TD temperature of 400 °C and a centerline residence time of 15 s. This experimental approach was applied in a winter field campaign in Athens and provided a direct measurement of number concentration and size distribution for particles emitted from major pollution sources. During periods in which the contribution of biomass burning sources was dominant, more than 80 % of particle number concentration remained after passing through the thermodenuder, suggesting that nearly all biomass burning particles had a non-volatile core. These remaining particles consisted mostly of black carbon (60 % mass contribution) and organic aerosol, OA (40 %). Organics that had not evaporated through the TD were mostly biomass burning OA (BBOA) and oxygenated OA (OOA) as determined from AMS source apportionment analysis. For periods during which traffic contribution was dominant 50-60 % of the particles had a non-volatile core while the rest evaporated at 400 °C. The remaining particle mass consisted mostly of black carbon (BC) with an 80 % contribution, while OA was responsible for another 15-20 %. Organics were mostly hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA) and OOA. These results suggest that even at 400 °C some fraction of the OA does not evaporate from particles emitted from common combustion processes, such as biomass burning and car engines, indicating that a fraction of this type of OA is of extremely low volatility.

Volatility of source apportioned wintertime organic aerosol in the city of Athens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Louvaris, Evangelos E.; Florou, Kalliopi; Karnezi, Eleni; Papanastasiou, Dimitrios K.; Gkatzelis, Georgios I.; Pandis, Spyros N.

2017-06-01

The volatility distribution of ambient organic aerosol (OA) and its components was measured during the winter of 2013 in the city of Athens combining a thermodenuder (TD) and a High Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) analysis of both the ambient and the thermodenuder AMS-spectra resulted in a four-factor solution for the OA, namely: hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA), biomass burning OA (BBOA), cooking OA (COA), and oxygenated OA (OOA). The thermograms of the four factors were analyzed and the corresponding volatility distributions were estimated using the volatility basis set (VBS). All four factors included compounds with a wide range of effective volatilities from 10 to less than 10-4 μg m-3 at 298 K. Almost 40% of the HOA consisted of low-volatility organic compounds (LVOCs) with the semi-volatile compounds (SVOCs) representing roughly 30%, while the remaining 30% consisted of extremely low volatility organic compounds (ELVOCs). BBOA was more volatile than the HOA factor on average, with 10% ELVOCs, 40% LVOCs, and 50% SVOCs. 10% of the COA consisted of ELVOCs, another 65% LVOCs, and 50% SVOCs. Finally, the OOA was the least volatile factor and included 40% ELVOCs, 25% LVOCs, and 35% SVOCs. Combining the volatility distributions and the O:C ratios of the various factors, we placed our results in the 2D-VBS analysis framework of Donahue et al. (2012). HOA and BBOA are in the expected region but also include an ELVOC component. COA is in similar range as HOA, but on average is half an order of magnitude more volatile. The OOA in these wintertime conditions had a moderate O:C ratio and included both semi-volatile and extremely low volatility components. The above results are sensitive to the assumed values of the effective vaporization enthalpy and the accommodation coefficient. A reduction of the accommodation coefficient by an order of magnitude or the reduction of the vaporization enthalpy by 20 kJ mol-1 results in the increase of the average volatility by half an order of magnitude.

Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study/Interim Response Actions

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-25

organosulfur compounds (CC/FP), organophosphorus compounds (CC/FPD), hydrocarbons (CC/FID), volatile aromatic compounds (GC/ PID ), volatile halogenated...ICP metals, mercury and arsenic (AA). Water samples are being analyzed for volatile halogenated organics (GC/CON), volatile aromatic organics (GC/ PID ...Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug SepSI - I I I I I • .. I I I ----+----- 685 27-90 so ONSITE DISPOSAL FACILITY .i * 686 27-01 Prep FLUE Plan Fz=m8u> 6e7

Identification of Campylobacter infection in chickens from volatile faecal emissions.

PubMed

Garner, Catherine E; Smith, Stephen; Elviss, Nicola C; Humphrey, Tom J; White, Paul; Ratcliffe, Norman M; Probert, Christopher S

2008-06-01

Volatile organic compounds from chicken faeces were investigated as biomarkers for Campylobacter infection. Campylobacter are major poultry-borne zoonotic pathogens, colonizing the avian intestinal tract. Chicken faeces are the principal source of contamination of carcasses. Fresh faeces were collected on farm sites, and Campylobacter status established microbiologically. Volatile organic compounds were pre-concentrated from the headspace above 71 separate faecal samples using solid-phase microextraction and separated and identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. A Campylobacter-specific profile was identified using six of the extracted volatile organic compounds. The model developed reliably identified the presence or absence of Campylobacter in >95% of chickens. The volatile biomarker identification approach for assessing avian infection is a novel approach to enhancing biosecurity in the poultry industry and should reduce the risk of disease transmission to humans.

Rendering plant emissions of volatile organic compounds during sterilization and cooking processes.

PubMed

Bhatti, Z A; Maqbool, F; Langenhove, H V

2014-01-01

The rendering process emits odorous volatile compounds in the atmosphere; if these volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are not handled properly they can cause a serious environmental problem. During this process not all emitted compounds are odorous and hazardous but some of them have been found associated with health problems. Samples were collected in the plastic bags from the Arnout rendering plant. In this study, VOCs emission from two different processes (cooking and sterilization) was compared. For the analysis of various emitted compounds, gas chromatograph and mass spectrophotometer were used. A sterilization process was added in the rendering plant to inactivate the prion protein from meat bone meal prepared during the rendering process. The identification of mass spectrum was performed by using a mass spectral database system. The most odorous classes of compounds identified were aliphatic hydrocarbons (HCs) (29.24%), furans (28.74%), aromatic HCs (18.32%), most important sulphur-containing compounds (12.15%), aldehyde (10.91%) and ketones (0.60%). Emissions released during cooking and sterilization were 32.73 x 10(2) and 36.85 x 10(2) mg m(-3), respectively. In this study, it was observed that after the addition of the sterilization process VOCs' emissions were increased. A total of 87 mg m(-3) dimethyl disulphide (DMS) was detected only during the cooking process, whereas dimethly trisulphide (DMTS) was detected in both cooking (300 mg m(-3)) and sterilization (301 mg m(-3)) processes. About 11 mg m3 of DMS was detected during the cooking process, which was a small concentration compared with 299 mg m(-3) found during the sterilization process. At high temperature and pressure, DMTS and DMS were released more than any other sulphur-containing compounds. A condenser was applied to control the combined emission and it was successful in the reduction of VOCs to 22.83 x 10(2) mg m(-3) (67% reduction).

Development of a sparging technique for volatile emissions from potato (Solanum tuberosum)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berdis, Elizabeth; Peterson, Barbara Vieux; Yorio, Neil C.; Batten, Jennifer; Wheeler, Raymond M.

1993-01-01

Accumulation of volatile emissions from plants grown in tightly closed growth chambers may have allelopathic or phytotoxic properties. Whole air analysis of a closed chamber includes both biotic and abiotic volatile emissions. A method for characterization and quantification of biogenic emissions solely from plantlets was developed to investigate this complex mixture of volatile organic compounds. Volatile organic compounds from potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Norland) were isolated, separated and identified using an in-line configuration consisting of a purge and trap concentrator with sparging vessels coupled to a GC/MS system. Analyses identified plant volatile compounds: transcaryophyllene, alpha-humulene, thiobismethane, hexanal, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, and cis-3-hexenyl acetate.

Darren J. Peterson | NREL

Science.gov Websites

volatile organic compounds at sub-parts-per-million concentration levels," Sensors and Actuators B : Chemical (2006) "The Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Removal Performance of Desiccant-Based

Quantitative organic vapor-particle sampler

DOEpatents

Gundel, Lara; Daisey, Joan M.; Stevens, Robert K.

1998-01-01

A quantitative organic vapor-particle sampler for sampling semi-volatile organic gases and particulate components. A semi-volatile organic reversible gas sorbent macroreticular resin agglomerates of randomly packed microspheres with the continuous porous structure of particles ranging in size between 0.05-10 .mu.m for use in an integrated diffusion vapor-particle sampler.

Volatile organic compounds detected in vapor-diffusion samplers placed in sediments along and near the shoreline at Allen Harbor Landfill and Calf Pasture Point, Davisville, Rhode Island, March-April 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lyford, F.P.; Kliever, J.D.; Scott, Clifford

1999-01-01

Volatile organic compounds are present in ground water at the Allen Harbor Landfill and the Calf Pasture Point sites on the former Naval Construction Battalion Center in Davisville, R.I. Vapor-diffusion samplers were used at the two sites during March-April 1998 to identify possible discharge points for contaminants along the shore of Allen Harbor and in two wetland areas near the shore. Results from vapor-diffusion samplers will be used in conjunction with other site information to evaluate proposed ground-water monitoring programs. Volatile organic compounds were detected in 41 of 115 samplers placed along the shoreline at the Allen Harbor Landfill. Trichloroethylene was the principal volatile organic compound detected of eight target compounds. The highest vapor concentration measured exceeded 300,000 parts per billion by volume in an area where TCE was detected in groundwater from nearby monitoring wells. Other chemicals detected in vapor-diffusion samplers included tetrachloroethylene, toluene, and benzene. Concentrations of individual volatile organic compounds were less than 100 parts per billion by volume in most samplers. Volatile organic compounds, principally trichloroethylene, were detected in 7 of 30 samplers placed along the shoreline at Calf Pasture Point; the highest trichloroethylene concentration was 1,900 parts per billion by volume. A trace concentration of tetrachloroethylene was detected in one of the samplers. One of 24 samplers placed in two wetland areas near the shore (suspected discharge areas for ground-water containing volatile organic compounds) detected trichloroethylene at a vapor concentration of 14 parts per billion by volume.

[Study of volatile organic compounds of fresh allium species using headspace combined with surface-enhanced Raman scattering].

PubMed

Si, Min-Zhen; Zhang, De-Qing; Liu, Ren-Ming

2014-09-01

In order to identify volatile organic compounds of fresh plants at room temperature and avoid sample pretreatment and extractions which can be labor intensive, garlic, Chinese chives and scallion were chopped into pieces. Then some of them were placed in the headspace vial and sealed. The gases were drawn from the vial with a syringe and were injected very slowly into Ag colloids for test using R-3000 portable Raman spectrometer. The spectra of volatile organic compounds of allium species, fresh garlic, Chinese chive and shallot plants were successfully.recorded for the first time. For garlic high intensity bands are present at 307, 399, 569, 711, 1,182, 1,287, 1,397 and 1,622 cm(-1). For Chinese chives the high intensity band is present at 672 cm(-1). Low intensity bands are present at 274, 412, 575, 1,185, 1,289, 1,396, 1,618 cm(-1). For shallot high intensity bands are present at 693 cm(-1). Lower intensity bands are present at 372, 888, 1,023 cm(-1). Low intensity bands are present at 1,088, 1,211 and 1,322 cm(-1). The SERS of diallyl disulfide, allyl methyl sulfide and 1-propanethiol in liquid state and gas state were also obtained. The main volatile organic compound of fresh garlic, Chinese chive and shallot are diallyl disulfide, allyl methyl sulfide and 1-propanethiol respectively, and the volatile organic compound of fresh onion, scallion, shallot and chive are all 1-propanethiol. The presented results illustrate that combining headspace and SERS is a powerful tool for volatile organic compound analysis in fresh plants. The volatile organic compound can be detected in fresh plant samples directly and quickly without extraction.

Sensory irritating potency of some microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) and a mixture of five MVOCs.

PubMed

Korpi, A; Kasanen, J P; Alarie, Y; Kosma, V M; Pasanen, A L

1999-01-01

The authors investigated the ability/potencies of 3 microbial volatile organic compounds and a mixture of 5 microbial volatile organic compounds to cause eye and upper respiratory tract irritation (i.e., sensory irritation), with an animal bioassay. The authors estimated potencies by determining the concentration capable of decreasing the respiratory frequency of mice by 50% (i.e., the RD50 value). The RD50 values for 1-octen-3-ol, 3-octanol, and 3-octanone were 182 mg/m3 (35 ppm), 1359 mg/m3 (256 ppm), and 17586 mg/m3 (3360 ppm), respectively. Recommended indoor air levels calculated from the individual RD50 values for 1-octen-3-ol, 3-octanol, and 3-octanone were 100, 1000, and 13000 microg/m3, respectively-values considerably higher than the reported measured indoor air levels for these compounds. The RD50 value for a mixture of 5 microbial volatile organic compounds was also determined and found to be 3.6 times lower than estimated from the fractional concentrations and the respective RD50s of the individual components. The data support the conclusion that a variety of microbial volatile organic compounds may have some synergistic effects for the sensory irritation response, which constrains the interpretation and application of recommended indoor air levels of individual microbial volatile organic compounds. The results also showed that if a particular component of a mixture was much more potent than the other components, it may dominate the sensory irritation effect. With respect to irritation symptoms reported in moldy houses, the results of this study indicate that the contribution of microbial volatile organic compounds to these symptoms seems less than previously supposed.

Single-particle characterization of biomass burning organic aerosol (BBOA): evidence for non-uniform mixing of high molecular weight organics and potassium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Alex K. Y.; Willis, Megan D.; Healy, Robert M.; Wang, Jon M.; Jeong, Cheol-Heon; Wenger, John C.; Evans, Greg J.; Abbatt, Jonathan P. D.

2016-05-01

Biomass burning organic aerosol (BBOA) can be emitted from natural forest fires and human activities such as agricultural burning and domestic energy generation. BBOA is strongly associated with atmospheric brown carbon (BrC) that absorbs near-ultraviolet and visible light, resulting in significant impacts on regional visibility degradation and radiative forcing. The mixing state of BBOA can play a critical role in the prediction of aerosol optical properties. In this work, single-particle measurements from a Soot-Particle Aerosol Mass Spectrometer coupled with a light scattering module (LS-SP-AMS) were performed to examine the mixing state of BBOA, refractory black carbon (rBC), and potassium (K, a tracer for biomass burning aerosol) in an air mass influenced by wildfire emissions transported from northern Québec to Toronto, representing aged biomass burning plumes. Cluster analysis of single-particle measurements identified five BBOA-related particle types. rBC accounted for 3-14 wt % of these particle types on average. Only one particle type exhibited a strong ion signal for K+, with mass spectra characterized by low molecular weight organic species. The remaining four particle types were classified based on the apparent molecular weight of the BBOA constituents. Two particle types were associated with low potassium content and significant amounts of high molecular weight (HMW) organic compounds. Our observations indicate non-uniform mixing of particles within a biomass burning plume in terms of molecular weight and illustrate that HMW BBOA can be a key contributor to low-volatility BrC observed in BBOA particles. The average mass absorption efficiency of low-volatility BBOA is about 0.8-1.1 m2 g-1 based on a theoretical closure calculation. Our estimates indicate that low-volatility BBOA contributes ˜ 33-44 % of thermo-processed particle absorption at 405 nm; and almost all of the BBOA absorption was associated with low-volatility organics.

Contribution of pheromones processed by the main olfactory system to mate recognition in female mammals

PubMed Central

Baum, Michael J.

2012-01-01

Until recently it was widely believed that the ability of female mammals (with the likely exception of women) to identify and seek out a male breeding partner relied on the detection of non-volatile male pheromones by the female's vomeronasal organ (VNO) and their subsequent processing by a neural circuit that includes the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), vomeronasal amygdala, and hypothalamus. Emperical data are reviewed in this paper that demonstrate the detection of volatile pheromones by the main olfactory epithelium (MOE) of female mice which, in turn, leads to the activation of a population of glomeruli and abutting mitral cells in the main olfactory bulb (MOB). Anatomical results along with functional neuroanatomical data demonstrate that some of these MOB mitral cells project to the vomeronasal amygdala. These particular MOB mitral cells were selectively activated (i.e., expressed Fos protein) by exposure to male as opposed to female urinary volatiles. A similar selectivity to opposite sex urinary volatiles was also seen in mitral cells of the AOB of female mice. Behavioral data from female mouse, ferret, and human are reviewed that implicate the main olfactory system, in some cases interacting with the accessory olfactory system, in mate recognition. PMID:22679420

VISTA: A μ-Thermogravimeter for Investigation of Volatile Compounds in Planetary Environments.

PubMed

Palomba, Ernesto; Longobardo, Andrea; Dirri, Fabrizio; Zampetti, Emiliano; Biondi, David; Saggin, Bortolino; Bearzotti, Andrea; Macagnano, Antonella

2016-06-01

This paper presents the VISTA (Volatile In Situ Thermogravimetry Analyser) instrument, conceived to perform planetary in-situ measurements. VISTA can detect and quantify the presence of volatile compounds of astrobiological interest, such as water and organics, in planetary samples. These measurements can be particularly relevant when performed on primitive asteroids or comets, or on targets of potential astrobiological interest such as Mars or Jupiter's satellite Europa. VISTA is based on a micro-thermogravimetry technique, widely used in different environments to study absorption and sublimation processes. The instrument core is a piezoelectric crystal microbalance, whose frequency variations are affected by variations of the mass of the deposited sample, due to chemical processes such as sublimation, condensation or absorption/desorption. The low mass (i.e. 40 g), the low volume (less than 10 cm(3)) and the low power (less than 1 W) required makes this kind of instrument very suitable for space missions. This paper discusses the planetary applications of VISTA, and shows the calibration operations performed on the breadboard, as well as the performance tests which demonstrate the capability of the breadboard to characterize volatile compounds of planetary interests.

Modeling effects of moisture content and advection on odor causing VOCs volatilization from stored swine manure.

PubMed

Liao, C M; Liang, H M

2000-05-01

Two models for evaluating the contents and advection of manure moisture on odor causing volatile organic compounds (VOC-odor) volatilization from stored swine manure were studied for their ability to predict the volatilization rate (indoor air concentration) and cumulative exposure dose: a MJ-I model and a MJ-II model. Both models simulating depletion of source contaminant via volatilization and degradation based on an analytical model adapted from the behavior assessment model of Jury et al. In the MJ-I model, manure moisture movement was negligible, whereas in the MJ-II model, time-dependent indoor air concentrations was a function of constant manure moisture contents and steady-state moisture advection. Predicted indoor air concentrations and inhaled doses for the study VOC-odors of p-cresol, toluene, and p-xylene varied by up to two to three orders of magnitude depending on the manure moisture conditions. The sensitivity analysis of both models suggests that when manure moisture movement exists, simply MJ-I model is inherently not sufficient to represent a more generally volatilization process, which can even become stringent as moisture content increases. The conclusion illustrates how one needs to include a wide variety of manure moisture values in order to fully assess the complex volatilization mechanisms that are present in a real situation.

DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN STEAM ENHANCED REMEDIATION STEAM TECH ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, INC.

EPA Science Inventory

Steam Enhanced Remediation is a process in which steam is injected into the subsurface to recover volatile and semivolatile organic contaminants. It has been applied successfully to recover contaminants from soil and aquifers and at a fractured granite site. This SITE demonstra...

40 CFR 60.542a - Alternate standard for volatile organic compounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

....540(b) shall not cause to be discharged into the atmosphere more than: 25 grams (0.055 lb) of VOC per tire processed for each month if the operation uses 25 grams (0.055 lb) or less of VOC per tire...

40 CFR 60.542a - Alternate standard for volatile organic compounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

....540(b) shall not cause to be discharged into the atmosphere more than: 25 grams (0.055 lb) of VOC per tire processed for each month if the operation uses 25 grams (0.055 lb) or less of VOC per tire...

40 CFR 60.542a - Alternate standard for volatile organic compounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

....540(b) shall not cause to be discharged into the atmosphere more than: 25 grams (0.055 lb) of VOC per tire processed for each month if the operation uses 25 grams (0.055 lb) or less of VOC per tire...

40 CFR 60.542a - Alternate standard for volatile organic compounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....540(b) shall not cause to be discharged into the atmosphere more than: 25 grams (0.055 lb) of VOC per tire processed for each month if the operation uses 25 grams (0.055 lb) or less of VOC per tire...

TREATMENT OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN WASTE GASES USING A TRICKLING BIOFILTER SYSTEM: A MODELING APPROACH

EPA Science Inventory

Biofiltration represents a novel strategy for controlling VOC emissions from a variety of industrial processes. As commercial applications of these systems increase, sophisticated theoretical models will be useful in establishing design criteria for providing insights into impor...

MEASUREMENT OF VOCS DESORBED FROM BUILDING MATERIALS--A HIGH TEMPERATURE DYNAMIC CHAMBER METHOD

EPA Science Inventory

Mass balance is a commonly used approach for characterizing the source and sink behavior of building materials. Because the traditional sink test methods evaluate the adsorption and desorption of volatile organic compounds (VOC) at ambient temperatures, the desorption process is...

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY BULLETIN: A CROSS-FLOW PERVAPORATION SYSTEM FOR REMOVAL OF VOCS FROM CONTAMINATED WASTEWATER

EPA Science Inventory

Pervaporation is a process for removing volatile organic compounds (VOC) from contaminated water. The performance of the cross-flow pervaporation system increases with temperature, with an equipment limitation of 35 degrees Celsius. Permeable membranes that preferentially adsor...

76 FR 20779 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing and Immediate...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-13

... Change To Provide Legal Certainty for the Trading of Futures on the CBOE Gold ETF Volatility Index April... CBOE Gold ETF Volatility Index (``GVZ Index''). II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the..., LLC (``CFE'') as an up-to-the-minute market estimate of the expected volatility of SPDR Gold Shares...

Volatile metabolomic signature of human breast cancer cell lines

PubMed Central

Silva, Catarina L.; Perestrelo, Rosa; Silva, Pedro; Tomás, Helena; Câmara, José S.

2017-01-01

Breast cancer (BC) remains the most prevalent oncologic pathology in women, causing huge psychological, economic and social impacts on our society. Currently, the available diagnostic tools have limited sensitivity and specificity. Metabolome analysis has emerged as a powerful tool for obtaining information about the biological processes that occur in organisms, and is a useful platform for discovering new biomarkers or make disease diagnosis using different biofluids. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the headspace of cultured BC cells and normal human mammary epithelial cells, were collected by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and analyzed by gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (GC–MS), thus defining a volatile metabolomic signature. 2-Pentanone, 2-heptanone, 3-methyl-3-buten-1-ol, ethyl acetate, ethyl propanoate and 2-methyl butanoate were detected only in cultured BC cell lines. Multivariate statistical methods were used to verify the volatomic differences between BC cell lines and normal cells in order to find a set of specific VOCs that could be associated with BC, providing comprehensive insight into VOCs as potential cancer biomarkers. The establishment of the volatile fingerprint of BC cell lines presents a powerful approach to find endogenous VOCs that could be used to improve the BC diagnostic tools and explore the associated metabolomic pathways. PMID:28256598

Emission of volatile organic compounds from domestic coal stove with the actual alternation of flaming and smoldering combustion processes.

PubMed

Liu, Chengtang; Zhang, Chenglong; Mu, Yujing; Liu, Junfeng; Zhang, Yuanyuan

2017-02-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions from the chimney of a prevailing domestic stove fuelled with raw bituminous coal were measured under flaming and smoldering combustion processes in a farmer's house. The results indicated that the concentrations of VOCs quickly increased after the coal loading and achieved their peak values in a few minutes. The peak concentrations of the VOCs under the smoldering combustion process were significantly higher than those under the flaming combustion process. Alkanes accounted for the largest proportion (43.05%) under the smoldering combustion, followed by aromatics (28.86%), alkenes (21.91%), carbonyls (5.81%) and acetylene (0.37%). The emission factors of the total VOCs under the smoldering combustion processes (5402.9 ± 2031.8 mg kg -1 ) were nearly one order of magnitude greater than those under the flaming combustion processes (559.2 ± 385.9 mg kg -1 ). Based on the VOCs emission factors obtained in this study and the regional domestic coal consumption, the total VOCs emissions from domestic coal stoves was roughly estimated to be 1.25 × 10 8  kg a -1 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of covering composting piles with mature compost on ammonia emission and microbial community structure of composting process.

PubMed

Maeda, Koki; Morioka, Riki; Osada, Takashi

2009-01-01

To control ammonia (NH(3)) volatilization from the dairy cattle (Bos taurus) manure composting process, a compost pile was covered with mature compost and the gas emissions evaluated using the dynamic chamber system. The peak of NH(3) volatilization observed immediately after piling up of the compost was reduced from 196 to 62 mg/m(3) by covering the compost pile with mature compost. The accumulation of NH(4)-N to the covered mature compost was also observed. Covering and mixing the compost with mature compost had no effect on the microbial community structure. However, over time the microbial community structure changed because of a decrease in easily degradable organic compounds in the compost piles. The availability of volatile fatty acids (VFA) was considered to be important for microbial community structure in the compost. After the VFA had disappeared, the NO(3)-N concentration increased and the cellulose degrading bacteria such as Cytophaga increased in number.

Insights into Mechanistic Models for Evaporation of Organic Liquids in the Environment Obtained by Position-Specific Carbon Isotope Analysis.

PubMed

Julien, Maxime; Nun, Pierrick; Robins, Richard J; Remaud, Gérald S; Parinet, Julien; Höhener, Patrick

2015-11-03

Position-specific isotope effects (PSIEs) have been measured by isotope ratio monitoring (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry during the evaporation of 10 liquids of different polarities under 4 evaporation modes (passive evaporation, air-vented evaporation, low pressure evaporation, distillation). The observed effects are used to assess the validity of the Craig-Gordon isotope model for organic liquids. For seven liquids the overall isotope effect (IE) includes a vapor-liquid contribution that is strongly position-specific in polar compounds but less so in apolar compounds and a diffusive IE that is not position-specific, except in the alcohols, ethanol and propan-1-ol. The diffusive IE is diminished under forced evaporation. The position-specific isotope pattern created by liquid-vapor IEs is manifest in five liquids, which have an air-side limitation for volatilization. For the alcohols, undefined processes in the liquid phase create additional PSIEs. Three other liquids with limitations on the liquid side have a lower, highly position-specific, bulk diffusive IE. It is concluded that evaporation of organic pollutants creates unique position-specific isotope patterns that may be used to assess the progress of remediation or natural attenuation of pollution and that the Craig-Gordon isotope model is valid for the volatilization of nonpolar organic liquids with air-side limitation of the volatilization rate.

Formation and evolution of molecular products in α-pinene secondary organic aerosol.

PubMed

Zhang, Xuan; McVay, Renee C; Huang, Dan D; Dalleska, Nathan F; Aumont, Bernard; Flagan, Richard C; Seinfeld, John H

2015-11-17

Much of our understanding of atmospheric secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from volatile organic compounds derives from laboratory chamber measurements, including mass yield and elemental composition. These measurements alone are insufficient to identify the chemical mechanisms of SOA production. We present here a comprehensive dataset on the molecular identity, abundance, and kinetics of α-pinene SOA, a canonical system that has received much attention owing to its importance as an organic aerosol source in the pristine atmosphere. Identified organic species account for ∼58-72% of the α-pinene SOA mass, and are characterized as semivolatile/low-volatility monomers and extremely low volatility dimers, which exhibit comparable oxidation states yet different functionalities. Features of the α-pinene SOA formation process are revealed for the first time, to our knowledge, from the dynamics of individual particle-phase components. Although monomeric products dominate the overall aerosol mass, rapid production of dimers plays a key role in initiating particle growth. Continuous production of monomers is observed after the parent α-pinene is consumed, which cannot be explained solely by gas-phase photochemical production. Additionally, distinct responses of monomers and dimers to α-pinene oxidation by ozone vs. hydroxyl radicals, temperature, and relative humidity are observed. Gas-phase radical combination reactions together with condensed phase rearrangement of labile molecules potentially explain the newly characterized SOA features, thereby opening up further avenues for understanding formation and evolution mechanisms of α-pinene SOA.

Next Generation Offline Approaches to Trace Gas-Phase Organic Compound Speciation: Sample Collection and Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheu, R.; Marcotte, A.; Khare, P.; Ditto, J.; Charan, S.; Gentner, D. R.

2017-12-01

Intermediate-volatility and semi-volatile organic compounds (I/SVOCs) are major precursors to secondary organic aerosol, and contribute to tropospheric ozone formation. Their wide volatility range, chemical complexity, behavior in analytical systems, and trace concentrations present numerous hurdles to characterization. We present an integrated sampling-to-analysis system for the collection and offline analysis of trace gas-phase organic compounds with the goal of preserving and recovering analytes throughout sample collection, transport, storage, and thermal desorption for accurate analysis. Custom multi-bed adsorbent tubes are used to collect samples for offline analysis by advanced analytical detectors. The analytical instrumentation comprises an automated thermal desorption system that introduces analytes from the adsorbent tubes into a gas chromatograph, which is coupled with an electron ionization mass spectrometer (GC-EIMS) and other detectors. In order to optimize the collection and recovery for a wide range of analyte volatility and functionalization, we evaluated a variety of commercially-available materials, including Res-Sil beads, quartz wool, glass beads, Tenax TA, and silica gel. Key properties for optimization include inertness, versatile chemical capture, minimal affinity for water, and minimal artifacts or degradation byproducts; these properties were assessed with a diverse mix of traditionally-measured and functionalized analytes. Along with a focus on material selection, we provide recommendations spanning the entire sampling-and-analysis process to improve the accuracy of future comprehensive I/SVOC measurements, including oxygenated and other functionalized I/SVOCs. We demonstrate the performance of our system by providing results on speciated VOCs-SVOCs from indoor, outdoor, and chamber studies that establish the utility of our protocols and pave the way for precise laboratory characterization via a mix of detection methods.

The development and testing of a volatile organics concentrator for use in monitoring Space Station water quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bodek, Itamar; Ehntholt, Daniel J.; Stolki, Thomas J.; Trabanino, Rudy; Hinsdale, Lloyd; Webb, Johanna; Sauer, Richard L.

1992-01-01

The Volatile Organics Concentrator (VOC) system, designed to attach to a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) for the analyses of volatile organic compounds in water on Space Station Freedom, is described. Organic volatiles are collected and concentrated in the VOC by means of two primary solid sorbent tubes and desorbed into the GC/MS system. The paper describes the results of testing the VOC breadboard using a GC/MS system. Evaluations performed on 39 organic compounds recovered from water samples were compared with data for these compounds using direct injection/GC/MS and purge and trap/GC/MS procedures. The results demonstrate that the VOC/GC/MS system's detection limits for the 39 compounds analyzed are comparable to those of the EPA Method 524.2, and for many compounds reaching a factor of 5 lower.

Description, Properties, and Degradation of Selected Volatile Organic Compounds Detected in Ground Water--A Review of Selected Literature

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawrence, Stephen J.

2006-01-01

This report provides abridged information describing the most salient properties and biodegradation of 27 chlorinated volatile organic compounds detected during ground-water studies in the United States. This information is condensed from an extensive list of reports, papers, and literature published by the U.S. Government, various State governments, and peer-reviewed journals. The list includes literature reviews, compilations, and summaries describing volatile organic compounds in ground water. This report cross-references common names and synonyms associated with volatile organic compounds with the naming conventions supported by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. In addition, the report describes basic physical characteristics of those compounds such as Henry's Law constant, water solubility, density, octanol-water partition (log Kow), and organic carbon partition (log Koc) coefficients. Descriptions and illustrations are provided for natural and laboratory biodegradation rates, chemical by-products, and degradation pathways.

The development of a volatile organics concentrator for use in monitoring Space Station water quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bodek, Itamar; Ehntholt, Daniel J.; Stolki, Thomas J.; Valentine, James R.; Trabanino, Rudy; Webb, Johanna V.; Sauer, Richard L.

1991-01-01

A breadboard concept of a volatile organics concentrator (VOC) is manufactured and tested for optimized water-quality analysis in a space environment. The VOC system is attached to a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer to analyze the volatile chemicals relevant to the operation of Space Station Freedom. The preliminary tests include: (1) comparisons with analyses based on direct on-column injections of standards; (2) analyses of iodinated volatile organics; (3) comparisons of nitrogen vs helium as the chromatography carrier gas; and (4) measurements of collection efficiency. The VOC can analyze EPA method-624 analytes at comparable detection using flame-ionization detection and can analyze volatile iodinated compounds. The breadboard has good reproducibility and can use nitrogen as a carrier gas; good results are noted for the collection and concentration levels and for water removal.

Remarkable preservation of terpenoids and record of volatile signalling in plant-animal interactions from Miocene amber.

PubMed

Dutta, Suryendu; Mehrotra, Rakesh C; Paul, Swagata; Tiwari, R P; Bhattacharya, Sharmila; Srivastava, Gaurav; Ralte, V Z; Zoramthara, C

2017-09-08

Plants produce and release a large array of volatile organic compounds that play many ecological functions. These volatile plant metabolites serve as pollinator attractants, herbivore and pathogen repellents and protect plants from abiotic stresses. To date, the geological evolution of these organic compounds remains unknown. The preservation potential of these metabolites in the fossil record is very poor due to their low boiling points. Here we report a series of volatile sesquiterpenoids, including δ-elemene, α-copaene, β-elemene, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, germacrene D, δ-cadiene and spathunenol, from early Miocene (~17 million year) amber from eastern India. The survival of these unaltered bioterpenoids can be attributed to the existence of extraordinary taphonomic conditions conducive to the preservation of volatile biomolecules through deep time. Furthermore, the occurrence of these volatiles in the early Miocene amber suggests that the plants from this period had evolved metabolic pathways to synthesize these organic molecules to play an active role in forest ecology, especially in plant-animal interactions.

A non-volatile organic electrochemical device as a low-voltage artificial synapse for neuromorphic computing

DOE PAGES

van de Burgt, Yoeri; Lubberman, Ewout; Fuller, Elliot J.; ...

2017-02-20

The brain is capable of massively parallel information processing while consuming only ~1- 100 fJ per synaptic event. Inspired by the efficiency of the brain, CMOS-based neural architectures and memristors are being developed for pattern recognition and machine learning. However, the volatility, design complexity and high supply voltages for CMOS architectures, and the stochastic and energy-costly switching of memristors complicate the path to achieve the interconnectivity, information density, and energy efficiency of the brain using either approach. Here we describe an electrochemical neuromorphic organic device (ENODe) operating with a fundamentally different mechanism from existing memristors. ENODe switches at low energymore » (<10 pJ for 10 3 μm 2 devices) and voltage, displays >500 distinct, non-volatile conductance states within a ~1 V range, and achieves high classification accuracy when implemented in neural network simulations. Plastic ENODEs are also fabricated on flexible substrates enabling the integration of neuromorphic functionality in stretchable electronic systems. Mechanical flexibility makes ENODes compatible with 3D architectures, opening a path towards extreme interconnectivity comparable to the human brain.« less

Ionic liquid technology to recover volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

PubMed

Salar-García, M J; Ortiz-Martínez, V M; Hernández-Fernández, F J; de Los Ríos, A P; Quesada-Medina, J

2017-01-05

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) comprise a wide variety of carbon-based materials which are volatile at relatively low temperatures. Most of VOCs pose a hazard to both human health and the environment. For this reason, in the last years, big efforts have been made to develop efficient techniques for the recovery of VOCs produced from industry. The use of ionic liquids (ILs) is among the most promising separation technologies in this field. This article offers a critical overview on the use of ionic liquids for the separation of VOCs both in bulk and in immobilized form. It covers the most relevant works within this field and provides a global outlook on the limitations and future prospects of this technology. The extraction processes of VOCs by using different IL-based assemblies are described in detail and compared with conventional methods This review also underlines the advantages and limitations posed by ionic liquids according to the nature of the cation and the anions present in their structure and the stability of the membrane configurations in which ILs are used as liquid phase. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A non-volatile organic electrochemical device as a low-voltage artificial synapse for neuromorphic computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van de Burgt, Yoeri; Lubberman, Ewout; Fuller, Elliot J.; Keene, Scott T.; Faria, Grégorio C.; Agarwal, Sapan; Marinella, Matthew J.; Alec Talin, A.; Salleo, Alberto

2017-04-01

The brain is capable of massively parallel information processing while consuming only ~1-100 fJ per synaptic event. Inspired by the efficiency of the brain, CMOS-based neural architectures and memristors are being developed for pattern recognition and machine learning. However, the volatility, design complexity and high supply voltages for CMOS architectures, and the stochastic and energy-costly switching of memristors complicate the path to achieve the interconnectivity, information density, and energy efficiency of the brain using either approach. Here we describe an electrochemical neuromorphic organic device (ENODe) operating with a fundamentally different mechanism from existing memristors. ENODe switches at low voltage and energy (<10 pJ for 103 μm2 devices), displays >500 distinct, non-volatile conductance states within a ~1 V range, and achieves high classification accuracy when implemented in neural network simulations. Plastic ENODes are also fabricated on flexible substrates enabling the integration of neuromorphic functionality in stretchable electronic systems. Mechanical flexibility makes ENODes compatible with three-dimensional architectures, opening a path towards extreme interconnectivity comparable to the human brain.

Metal-organic molecular device for non-volatile memory storage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Radha, B., E-mail: radha.boya@manchester.ac.uk, E-mail: kulkarni@jncasr.ac.in; Sagade, Abhay A.; Kulkarni, G. U., E-mail: radha.boya@manchester.ac.uk, E-mail: kulkarni@jncasr.ac.in

Non-volatile memory devices have been of immense research interest for their use in active memory storage in powered off-state of electronic chips. In literature, various molecules and metal compounds have been investigated in this regard. Molecular memory devices are particularly attractive as they offer the ease of storing multiple memory states in a unique way and also represent ubiquitous choice for miniaturized devices. However, molecules are fragile and thus the device breakdown at nominal voltages during repeated cycles hinders their practical applicability. Here, in this report, a synergetic combination of an organic molecule and an inorganic metal, i.e., a metal-organicmore » complex, namely, palladium hexadecylthiolate is investigated for memory device characteristics. Palladium hexadecylthiolate following partial thermolysis is converted to a molecular nanocomposite of Pd(II), Pd(0), and long chain hydrocarbons, which is shown to exhibit non-volatile memory characteristics with exceptional stability and retention. The devices are all solution-processed and the memory action stems from filament formation across the pre-formed cracks in the nanocomposite film.« less

A non-volatile organic electrochemical device as a low-voltage artificial synapse for neuromorphic computing.

PubMed

van de Burgt, Yoeri; Lubberman, Ewout; Fuller, Elliot J; Keene, Scott T; Faria, Grégorio C; Agarwal, Sapan; Marinella, Matthew J; Alec Talin, A; Salleo, Alberto

2017-04-01

The brain is capable of massively parallel information processing while consuming only ∼1-100 fJ per synaptic event. Inspired by the efficiency of the brain, CMOS-based neural architectures and memristors are being developed for pattern recognition and machine learning. However, the volatility, design complexity and high supply voltages for CMOS architectures, and the stochastic and energy-costly switching of memristors complicate the path to achieve the interconnectivity, information density, and energy efficiency of the brain using either approach. Here we describe an electrochemical neuromorphic organic device (ENODe) operating with a fundamentally different mechanism from existing memristors. ENODe switches at low voltage and energy (<10 pJ for 10 3  μm 2 devices), displays >500 distinct, non-volatile conductance states within a ∼1 V range, and achieves high classification accuracy when implemented in neural network simulations. Plastic ENODes are also fabricated on flexible substrates enabling the integration of neuromorphic functionality in stretchable electronic systems. Mechanical flexibility makes ENODes compatible with three-dimensional architectures, opening a path towards extreme interconnectivity comparable to the human brain.

Improving the quality of matured coconut (Cocos nucifera Linn.) water by low alcoholic fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae: antioxidant and volatile profiles.

PubMed

Zhang, Guanfei; Chen, Wenxue; Chen, Weijun; Chen, Haiming

2018-03-01

Matured coconut water (MCW) is a by-product in the coconut milk industry that is usually discarded due to its unpleasant flavor. In this study, low-alcohol coconut water (LACW) was fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae to improve the quality of MCW. Volatile components and nonvolatile flavor-related elements were estimated to compare the qualities of the MCW and LACW. Besides measuring the kinetic changes, the levels of fructose, glucose, sucrose and ethanol contents were also determined. The results of the organic acid assays showed that tartaric, pyruvic and succinic acids were the primary organic acids present in LACW and increased significantly with fermentation. The resulting volatile composition assay indicated that esters, alcohols and fatty acids were significantly influenced by fermentation and yeast strains. Moreover, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity and ferric reducing antioxidant power values increased significantly throughout the process, correlating with the enhancement of total phenolic content.

Generation of sub-part-per-billion gaseous volatile organic compounds at ambient temperature by headspace diffusion of aqueous standards through decoupling between ideal and nonideal Henry's law behavior.

PubMed

Kim, Yong-Hyun; Kim, Ki-Hyun

2013-05-21

In the analysis of volatile organic compounds in air, the preparation of their gaseous standards at low (sub-ppb) concentration levels with high reliability is quite difficult. In this study, a simple dynamic headspace-based approach was evaluated as a means of generating vapor-phase volatile organic compounds from a liquid standard in an impinger at ambient temperature (25 °C). For a given sampling time, volatile organic compound vapor formed in the headspace was swept by bypassing the sweep gas through the impinger and collected four times in quick succession in separate sorbent tubes. In each experiment, a fresh liquid sample was used for each of the four sampling times (5, 10, 20, and 30 min) at a steady flow rate of 50 mL min(-1). The air-water partitioning at the most dynamic (earliest) sweeping stage was established initially in accord with ideal Henry's law, which was then followed by considerably reduced partitioning in a steady-state equilibrium (non-ideal Henry's law). The concentrations of gaseous volatile organic compounds, collected after the steady-state equilibrium, reached fairly constant values: for instance, the mole fraction of toluene measured at a sweeping interval of 10 and 30 min averaged 1.10 and 0.99 nmol mol(-1), respectively (after the initial 10 min sampling). In the second stage of our experiment, the effect of increasing the concentrations of liquid spiking standard was also examined by collecting sweep gas samples from two consecutive 10 min runs. The volatile organic compounds, collected in the first and second 10 min sweep gas samples, exhibited ideal and nonideal Henry's law behavior, respectively. From this observation, we established numerical relationships to predict the mole fraction (or mixing ratio) of each volatile organic compound in steady-state equilibrium in relation to the concentration of standard spiked into the system. This experimental approach can thus be used to produce sub-ppb levels of gaseous volatile organic compounds in a constant and predictable manner.

DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN: IN-SITU VACUUM EXRACTION: TERRA VAC, INC.

EPA Science Inventory

This in-situ vacuum extraction technology is a process for the removal and venting of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the vadose or unsaturated zone of soils. Often, these compounds can be removed from the vadose zone before they have a chance to contaminate groundwater. ...

DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN: ADSORPTION-INTEGRATED-REACTION (AIR2000) PROCESS, KSE, INC.

EPA Science Inventory

This Bulletin is a brief description of the AIR2000 technology developed by KSE, Inc., of Amherst, MA. The AIR2000 unit treats air streams containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The demonstration occurred at the Stamina Mills superfund site in North Smithfield, RI from Aug...

GAS- AND SOLID-PHASE PARTITIONING OF PCDDS/FS ON MSWI FLY ASH AND THE EFFECTS OF SAMPLING

EPA Science Inventory

Semi-volatile organic compounds (SOCs), including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDDs/Fs), are partitioned as gas-phase and particle-bound products of many industrial combustion processes. This gas/particle partitioning of SOCs has severe implications on both ...

Crude glycerol combustion: particulate, acrolein, and other volatile organic emissions

EPA Science Inventory

Crude glycerol is an abundant by-product of biodiesel production. As volumes of this potential waste grow, there is increasing interest in developing new value added uses. One possible use, as a boiler fuel for process heating, offers added advantages of energy integration and ...

ACCUTECH PNEUMATIC FRACTURING EXTRACTION AND HOT GAS INJECTION, PHASE I - APPLICATIONS ANALYSIS REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

This document summarizes and analyzes the results of a 4-wk evaluation of the Accutech Remedial Systems, Inc. (ARS) Pneumatic Fracturing Extraction™ (PFE™) process for increasing the removal of volatile organic contaminants from the vadose zone, particularly where the ground form...

CORONA DESTRUCTION: AN INNOVATIVE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY FOR VOCS AND AIR TOXICS

EPA Science Inventory

This paper discusses the work and results to date leading to the demonstration of the corona destruction process at pilot scale. The research effort in corona destruction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and air toxics has shown significant promise for providing a valuable co...

77 FR 47536 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, Mojave Desert, Northern Sierra, Sacramento...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-09

... volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from automotive parts and component, automobile refinishing... metal parts and products, miscellaneous uses, automobile refinishing processes and automotive equipment... Techniques Guidelines for Automobile and Light-Duty Truck Assembly Coatings,'' EPA (EPA-453/R-08-006...

Volatile and semivolatile organic compounds in laboratory peat fire emissions

EPA Science Inventory

Speciated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and organic fine particulate matter (PM2.5) mass emission factors were determined from laboratory peat fire experiments. Peat samples originated from two wildlife reserves located near the coast of North Carolina, U.S. Gas and particula...

Nitrate radicals and biogenic volatile organic compounds: oxidation, mechanisms, and organic aerosol

EPA Science Inventory

Oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) by the nitrate radical (NO3) represents one of the important interactions between anthropogenic emissions related to combustion and natural emissions from the biosphere. This interaction has been recognized for more than 3 d...

Modeling regional air quality and climate: improving organic aerosol and aerosol activation processes in WRF/Chem version 3.7.1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yahya, Khairunnisa; Glotfelty, Timothy; Wang, Kai; Zhang, Yang; Nenes, Athanasios

2017-06-01

Air quality and climate influence each other through the uncertain processes of aerosol formation and cloud droplet activation. In this study, both processes are improved in the Weather, Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF/Chem) version 3.7.1. The existing Volatility Basis Set (VBS) treatments for organic aerosol (OA) formation in WRF/Chem are improved by considering the following: the secondary OA (SOA) formation from semi-volatile primary organic aerosol (POA), a semi-empirical formulation for the enthalpy of vaporization of SOA, and functionalization and fragmentation reactions for multiple generations of products from the oxidation of VOCs. Over the continental US, 2-month-long simulations (May to June 2010) are conducted and results are evaluated against surface and aircraft observations during the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change (CalNex) campaign. Among all the configurations considered, the best performance is found for the simulation with the 2005 Carbon Bond mechanism (CB05) and the VBS SOA module with semivolatile POA treatment, 25 % fragmentation, and the emissions of semi-volatile and intermediate volatile organic compounds being 3 times the original POA emissions. Among the three gas-phase mechanisms (CB05, CB6, and SAPRC07) used, CB05 gives the best performance for surface ozone and PM2. 5 concentrations. Differences in SOA predictions are larger for the simulations with different VBS treatments (e.g., nonvolatile POA versus semivolatile POA) compared to the simulations with different gas-phase mechanisms. Compared to the simulation with CB05 and the default SOA module, the simulations with the VBS treatment improve cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC) predictions (normalized mean biases from -40.8 % to a range of -34.6 to -27.7 %), with large differences between CB05-CB6 and SAPRC07 due to large differences in their OH and HO2 predictions. An advanced aerosol activation parameterization based on the Fountoukis and Nenes (2005) series reduces the large negative CDNC bias associated with the default Abdul Razzak and Ghan (2000) parameterization from -35.4 % to a range of -0.8 to 7.1 %. However, it increases the errors due to overpredictions of CDNC, mainly over the northeastern US. This work indicates a need to improve other aerosol-cloud-radiation processes in the model, such as the spatial distribution of aerosol optical depth and cloud condensation nuclei, in order to further improve CDNC predictions.

On the link between hygroscopicity, volatility, and oxidation state of ambient and water-soluble aerosol in the Southeastern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cerully, K. M.; Bougiatioti, A.; Hite, J. R., Jr.; Guo, H.; Xu, L.; Ng, N. L.; Weber, R.; Nenes, A.

2014-12-01

The formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) combined with the partitioning of semi-volatile organic components can impact numerous aerosol properties including cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity, hygroscopicity and volatility. During the summer 2013 Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) field campaign in a rural site in the Southeastern United States, a suite of instruments including a CCN counter, a thermodenuder (TD) and a high resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) were used to measure CCN activity, aerosol volatility, composition and oxidation state. Particles were either sampled directly from ambient or through a Particle Into Liquid Sampler (PILS), allowing the investigation of the water-soluble aerosol component. Ambient aerosol exhibited size-dependent composition with larger particles being more hygroscopic. The hygroscopicity of thermally-denuded aerosol was similar between ambient and PILS-generated aerosol and showed limited dependence on volatilization. Results of AMS 3-factor Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) analysis for the PILS-generated aerosol showed that the most hygroscopic components are most likely the most and the least volatile features of the aerosol. No clear relationship was found between organic hygroscopicity and oxygen-to-carbon ratio; in fact, Isoprene organic aerosol (Isoprene-OA) was found to be the most hygroscopic factor, while at the same time being the least oxidized and likely most volatile of all PMF factors. Considering the diurnal variation of each PMF factor and its associated hygroscopicity, Isoprene-OA and More Oxidized - Oxidized Oxygenated Organic Aerosol (MO-OOA) are the prime contributors to hygroscopicity and covary with Less Oxidized - Oxidized Oxygenated Organic Aerosol (LO-OOA) in a way that induces the observed diurnal invariance in total organic hygroscopicity. Biomass Burning Organic Aerosol (BBOA) contributed little to aerosol hygroscopicity, which is expected since there was little biomass burning activity during the sampling period examined.

Waterborne Diseases & Illnesses

MedlinePlus

... Lead Arsenic Volatile Organic Compounds Plastics Pesticides Climate Change Climate Change Home What is Climate Change Greenhouse Gases ... Lead Arsenic Volatile Organic Compounds Plastics Pesticides Climate Change Climate Change Home What is Climate Change Greenhouse Gases ...

Volatilization of benzene and eight alkyl-substituted benzene compounds from water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rathbun, R.E.; Tai, D.Y.

1988-01-01

Predicting the fate of organic compounds in streams and rivers often requires knowledge of the volatilization characteristics of the compounds. The reference-substance concept, involving laboratory-determined ratios of the liquid-film coefficients for volatilization of the organic compounds to the liquid-film coefficient for oxygen absorption, is used to predict liquid-film coefficients for streams and rivers. In the absence of experimental data, two procedures have been used for estimating these liquid-film coefficient ratios. These procedures, based on the molecular-diffusion coefficient and on the molecular weight, have been widely used but never extensively evaluated. Liquid-film coefficients for the volatilization of benzene and eight alkyl-substituted benzene compounds (toluene through n-octylbenzene) from water were measured in a constant-temperature, stirred water bath. Liquid-film coefficients for oxygen absorption were measured simultaneously. A range of water mixing conditions was used with a water temperature of 298.2 K. The ratios of the liquid-film coefficients for volatilization to the liquid-film coefficient for oxygen absorption for all of the organic compounds were independent of mixing conditions in the water. Experimental ratios ranged from 0.606 for benzene to 0.357 for n-octylbenzene. The molecular-diffusion-coefficient procedure accurately predicted the ratios for ethylbenzene through n-pentylbenzene with a power dependence of 0.566 on the molecular-diffusion coefficient, in agreement with published values. Predicted ratios for benzene and toluene were slightly larger than the experimental ratios. These differences were attributed to possible interactions between the molecules of these compounds and the water molecules and to benzene-benzene interactions that form dimers. Because these interactions also are likely to occur in natural waters, it was concluded that the experimental ratios are more correct than the predicted ratios for application purposes in the reference-substance concept. Predicted ratios for n-hexylbenzene, n-heptylbenzene, and n-octylbenzene were larger than the experimental ratios. These differences were attributed to a sorption-desorption process between these compounds and the surfaces of the constant-temperature water bath. Other experimental problems associated with preparing water solutions of these slightly soluble compounds also may have contributed to the differences. Because these processes are not part of the true volatilization process, it was concluded that the predicted ratios for these three compounds are probably more correct than the experimental ratios for application purposes in the reference-substance concept. Any model of the fate of these compounds in streams and rivers would have to include terms accounting for sorption processes, however. The molecular-weight procedure accurately predicted the ratios for ethylbenzene through n-pentylbenzene, but only if the power dependence on the molecular weight was decreased from the commonly used -0.500 to -0.427. Deviations for the low- and high-molecular-weight compounds were similar to those observed for the molecular-diffusion-coefficient procedure.

Design and laboratory testing of a chamber device to measure total flux of volatile organic compounds from the unsaturated zone under natural conditions.

PubMed

Tillman, Fred D; Smith, James A

2004-11-01

To determine if an aquifer contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has potential for natural remediation, all natural processes affecting the fate and transport of VOCs in the subsurface must be identified and quantified. This research addresses the quantification of air-phase volatile organic compounds (VOCs) leaving the unsaturated zone soil gas and entering the atmosphere-including the additional flux provided by advective soil-gas movement induced by barometric pumping. A simple and easy-to-use device for measuring VOC flux under natural conditions is presented. The vertical flux chamber (VFC) was designed using numerical simulations and evaluated in the laboratory. Mass-balance numerical simulations based on continuously stirred tank reactor equations (CSTR) provided information on flux measurement performance of several sampling configurations with the final chamber configuration measuring greater than 96% of model-simulated fluxes. A laboratory device was constructed to evaluate the flux chamber under both diffusion-only and advection-plus-diffusion transport conditions. The flux chamber measured an average of 82% of 15 diffusion-only fluxes and an average of 95% of 15 additional advection-plus-diffusion flux experiments. The vertical flux chamber has the capability of providing reliable measurement of VOC flux from the unsaturated zone under both diffusion and advection transport conditions.

Marketing in nursing organizations.

PubMed

Chambers, S B

1989-05-01

The purpose of chapter 3 is to provide a conceptual framework for understanding marketing. Although it is often considered to be, marketing is not really a new activity for nursing organizations. What is perhaps new to most nursing organizations is the conduct of marketing activities as a series of interrelated events that are part of a strategic marketing process. The increasingly volatile nursing environment requires a comprehensive approach to marketing. This chapter presents definitions of marketing, the marketing mix, the characteristics of nonprofit marketing, the relationship of strategic planning and strategic marketing, portfolio analysis, and a detailed description of the strategic marketing process. While this chapter focuses on marketing concepts, essential components, and presentation of the strategic marketing process, chapter 4 presents specific methods and techniques for implementing the strategic marketing process.

Modified anaerobic digestion elutriated phased treatment for the anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge and food wastewater.

PubMed

Mo, Kyung; Lee, Wonbae; Kim, Moonil

2017-02-01

A modified anaerobic digestion elutriated phased treatment (MADEPT) process was developed for investigating anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge and food wastewater. The anaerobic digestion elutriated phased treatment (ADEPT) process is similar to a two-phase system, however, in which the effluent from a methanogenic reactor recycles into an acidogenic reactor to elutriate mainly dissolved organics. Although ADEPT could reduce reactor volume significantly, the unsolubilized solids should be wasted from the system. The MADEPT process combines thermo-alkali solubilization with ADEPT to improve anaerobic performance and to minimize the sludge disposal. It was determined that the optimal volume mixing ratio of sewage sludge and food wastewater was 4 : 1 for the anaerobic co-digestion. The removal efficiencies of total chemical oxygen demand, volatile solids, and volatile suspended solids in the MADEPT process were 73%, 70%, and 64%, respectively. However, those in the ADEPT process were only 48%, 37%, and 40%, respectively, at the same hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 7 days. The gas production of MADEPT was two times higher than that of ADEPT. The thermo-alkali solubilization increased the concentration of dissolved organics so that they could be effectively degraded in a short HRT, implying that MADEPT could improve the performance of ADEPT in anaerobic co-digestion.

Anaerobic slurry co-digestion of poultry manure and straw: effect of organic loading and temperature

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

In order to obtain basic design criteria for anaerobic digestion of a mixture of poultry manure and wheat straw, the effects of different temperatures and organic loading rates on the biogas yield and methane contents were evaluated. Since poultry manure is a poor substrate, in term of the availability of the nutrients, external supplementation of carbon has to be regularly performed, in order to achieve a stable and efficient process. The complete-mix, pilot-scale digester with working volume of 70 L was used. The digestion operated at 25°C, 30°C and 35°C with organic loading rates of 1.0, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 kg Volatile solid/m3d and a HRT of 15 days. At a temperature of 35°C, the methane yield was increased by 43% compared to 25°C. Anaerobic co-digestion appeared feasible with a loading rate of 3.0 kg VS/m3d at 35°C. At this state, the specific methane yield was calculated about 0.12 m3/kg VS with a methane content of 53–70.2% in the biogas. The volatile solid (VS) removal was 72%. As a result of volatile fatty acid accumulation and decrease in pH, when the loading rate was less than 1 or greater than 4 kg VS/m3d, the process was inhibited or overloaded, respectively. Both the lower and higher loading rates resulted in a decline in the methane yield. PMID:24502409

Indoor Semi-volatile Organic Compounds (i-SVOC) Version 1.0

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

i-SVOC Version 1.0 is a general-purpose software application for dynamic modeling of the emission, transport, sorption, and distribution of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in indoor environments.

Arsenic (Environmental Health Student Portal)

MedlinePlus

... Lead Arsenic Volatile Organic Compounds Plastics Pesticides Climate Change Climate Change Home What is Climate Change Greenhouse Gases ... Lead Arsenic Volatile Organic Compounds Plastics Pesticides Climate Change Climate Change Home What is Climate Change Greenhouse Gases ...

Architectural Coatings: National Volatile Organic Compounds Emission Standards

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Read about the section 183(e) rule for volatile organic compounds for architectural coatings. Read the rule summary and history, find the code of federal regulations test, and additional documents, including compliance information.

40 CFR 60.712 - Standards for volatile organic compounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Magnetic Tape Coating Facilities § 60.712 Standards for volatile organic compounds. Each owner or operator... (other than a condenser) on a magnetic tape coating operation shall control emissions from the coating...

40 CFR 60.712 - Standards for volatile organic compounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Magnetic Tape Coating Facilities § 60.712 Standards for volatile organic compounds. Each owner or operator... (other than a condenser) on a magnetic tape coating operation shall control emissions from the coating...

Environmental Aspects of Two Volatile Organic Compound Groundwater Treatment Designs at the Rocky Flats Site - 13135

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michalski, Casey C.; DiSalvo, Rick; Boylan, John

2013-07-01

DOE's Rocky Flats Site in Colorado is a former nuclear weapons production facility that began operations in the early 1950's. Because of releases of hazardous substances to the environment, the federally owned property and adjacent offsite areas were placed on the CERCLA National Priorities List in 1989. The final remedy was selected in 2006. Engineered components of the remedy include four groundwater treatment systems that were installed before closure as CERCLA-accelerated actions. Two of the systems, the Mound Site Plume Treatment System and the East Trenches Plume Treatment System, remove low levels of volatile organic compounds using zero-valent iron media,more » thereby reducing the loading of volatile organic compounds in surface water resulting from the groundwater pathway. However, the zero-valent iron treatment does not reliably reduce all volatile organic compounds to consistently meet water quality goals. While adding additional zero-valent iron media capacity could improve volatile organic compound removal capability, installation of a solar powered air-stripper has proven an effective treatment optimization in further reducing volatile organic compound concentrations. A comparison of the air stripper to the alternative of adding additional zero-valent iron capacity to improve Mound Site Plume Treatment System and East Trenches Plume Treatment System treatment based on several key sustainable remediation aspects indicates the air stripper is also more 'environmentally friendly'. These key aspects include air pollutant emissions, water quality, waste management, transportation, and costs. (authors)« less

Cloud processing of organic compounds: Secondary organic aerosol and nitrosamine formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchings, James W., III

Cloud processing of atmospheric organic compounds has been investigated through field studies, laboratory experiments, and numerical modeling. Observational cloud chemistry studies were performed in northern Arizona and fog studies in central Pennsylvania. At both locations, the cloud and fogs showed low acidity due to neutralization by soil dust components (Arizona) and ammonia (Pennsylvania). The field observations showed substantial concentrations (20-5500 ng•L -1) of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the cloud droplets. The potential generation of secondary organic aerosol mass through the processing of these anthropogenic VOCs was investigated through laboratory and modeling studies. Under simulated atmospheric conditions, in idealized solutions, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) degraded quickly in the aqueous phase with half lives of approximately three hours. The degradation process yielded less volatile products which would contribute to new aerosol mass upon cloud evaporation. However, when realistic cloud solutions containing natural organic matter were used in the experiments, the reaction kinetics decreased with increasing organic carbon content, resulting in half lives of approximately 7 hours. The secondary organic aerosol (SUA) mass formation potential of cloud processing of BTEX was evaluated. SOA mass formation by cloud processing of BTEX, while strongly dependent on the atmospheric conditions, could contribute up to 9% of the ambient atmospheric aerosol mass, although typically ˜1% appears realistic. Field observations also showed the occurrence of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a potent carcinogen, in fogs and clouds (100-340 ng•L -1). Laboratory studies were conducted to investigate the formation of NDMA from nitrous acid and dimethylamine in the homogeneous aqueous phase within cloud droplets. While NDMA was produced in the cloud droplets, the low yields (<1%) observed could not explain observational concentrations. Therefore heterogeneous or gaseous formation of NDMA with partitioning to droplet must be the source of aqueous NDMA. Box-model calculations tended to demonstrate a predominance of a gas phase formation mechanism followed by partitioning into the cloud droplets. The calculations were consistent with field measurements of gaseous and aqueous NDMA concentrations. Measurements and model calculations showed that while NDMA is eventually photolyzed, it might persist in the atmosphere for hours.

A chemodynamic approach for estimating losses of target organic chemicals from water during sample holding time

USGS Publications Warehouse

Capel, P.D.; Larson, S.J.

1995-01-01

Minimizing the loss of target organic chemicals from environmental water samples between the time of sample collection and isolation is important to the integrity of an investigation. During this sample holding time, there is a potential for analyte loss through volatilization from the water to the headspace, sorption to the walls and cap of the sample bottle; and transformation through biotic and/or abiotic reactions. This paper presents a chemodynamic-based, generalized approach to estimate the most probable loss processes for individual target organic chemicals. The basic premise is that the investigator must know which loss process(es) are important for a particular analyte, based on its chemodynamic properties, when choosing the appropriate method(s) to prevent loss.

Metal organic frameworks as sorption media for volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds at ambient conditions

PubMed Central

Vellingiri, Kowsalya; Szulejko, Jan E.; Kumar, Pawan; Kwon, Eilhann E.; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Deep, Akash; Boukhvalov, Danil W.; Brown, Richard J. C.

2016-01-01

In this research, we investigated the sorptive behavior of a mixture of 14 volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (four aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, p-xylene, and styrene), six C2-C5 volatile fatty acids (VFAs), two phenols, and two indoles) against three metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), i.e., MOF-5, Eu-MOF, and MOF-199 at 5 to 10 mPa VOC partial pressures (25 °C). The selected MOFs exhibited the strongest affinity for semi-volatile (polar) VOC molecules (skatole), whereas the weakest affinity toward was volatile (non-polar) VOC molecules (i.e., benzene). Our experimental results were also supported through simulation analysis in which polar molecules were bound most strongly to MOF-199, reflecting the presence of strong interactions of Cu2+ with polar VOCs. In addition, the performance of selected MOFs was compared to three well-known commercial sorbents (Tenax TA, Carbopack X, and Carboxen 1000) under the same conditions. The estimated equilibrium adsorption capacity (mg.g−1) for the all target VOCs was in the order of; MOF-199 (71.7) >Carboxen-1000 (68.4) >Eu-MOF (27.9) >Carbopack X (24.3) >MOF-5 (12.7) >Tenax TA (10.6). Hopefully, outcome of this study are expected to open a new corridor to expand the practical application of MOFs for the treatment diverse VOC mixtures. PMID:27324522

Observing BVOC Emissions, Oxidation, Deposition, and Interactions with Anthropogenic Pollutants to Form SOA in the Southeast United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldstein, A. H.; Isaacman, G. A.; Misztal, P. K.; Yee, L.; Olson, K. F.; Moss, J.; Kreisberg, N. M.; Hering, S. V.; Park, J. H.; Kaser, L.; Seco, R.; Guenther, A. B.; Su, L.; Mak, J. E.; Holzinger, R.; Hu, W.; Campuzano Jost, P.; Palm, B. B.; Day, D. A.; Jimenez, J. L.; Koss, A.; De Gouw, J. A.

2014-12-01

Our overarching goals in the SOAS 2013 campaign were to 1) quantify biogenic VOC emission and VOC deposition to understand the processes controlling these bi-directional exchanges, 2) observe a broad suite of primary VOC and their oxidation products in the field and in controlled laboratory experiments, and 3) investigate their fate to understand how anthropogenic pollution alters oxidation pathways and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation. We pursued these goals through measurement of atmospheric organics ranging from very volatile (using in-situ GC-MS and proton transfer reaction time-of-flight MS, PTR-ToF-MS) to semi-volatile gas and particle phase compounds (using the Semi-Volatile Thermal desorption Aerosol Gas chromatograph, SV-TAG). Measured concentrations and fluxes of VOCs at the top of the SEARCH tower were coordinated with concentration gradients and fluxes at the AABC flux tower site, and vertical profiles using the Long-EZ aircraft to provide equivalent observations across sites. These results are informed through measurements using the same instrument during the FIXIT controlled laboratory oxidation study at CalTech that investigated oxidation pathways of BVOC with varying levels of anthropogenic pollutants. Measurements by SV-TAG of particle-phase and total gas-plus-particle-phase compounds at the SEARCH tower provide hourly quantification of semi-volatile compounds, including the oxidation products of measured VOCs. Derivatization of hydroxyl groups prior to GC analysis allows analysis of highly oxidized chemicals, including most known tracers. Methyl tetrols, an oxidation product of isoprene, had a significant day-time gas-phase component, and their abundance was strongly correlated with particle-phase sulfate, indicative of anthropogenic influence on the formation or partitioning processes. Similar observations of pinic acid (monterpene oxidation product) and many other BVOC oxidation products were made in both the gas and particle phases. Through measurements of specific chemical tracers across a wide range of volatilities, we explore the chemical lifecycle of BVOCs to understand anthropogenic-biogenic interactions in aerosol formation.

Recovery of several volatile organic compounds from simulated water samples: Effect of transport and storage

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friedman, L.C.; Schroder, L.J.; Brooks, M.G.

1986-01-01

Solutions containing volatile organic compounds were prepared in organic-free water and 2% methanol and submitted to two U.S. Geological Survey laboratories. Data from the determination of volatile compounds in these samples were compared to analytical data for the same volatile compounds that had been kept in solutions 100 times more concentrated until immediately before analysis; there was no statistically significant difference in the analytical recoveries. Addition of 2% methanol to the storage containers hindered the recovery of bromomethane and vinyl chloride. Methanol addition did not enhance sample stability. Further, there was no statistically significant difference in results from the two laboratories, and the recovery efficiency was more than 80% in more than half of the determinations made. In a subsequent study, six of eight volatile compounds showed no significant loss of recovery after 34 days.

EVALUATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC EMISSIONS DATA FOR NONPROCESS SOLVENT USE IN COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS CATEGORIES

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of a project to gather and evaluate existing data on nonprocess solvents; i.e., products not directly incorporated into specific industrial processes. This information is to be incorporated into an overall inventory project assessing consumer product use ...

40 CFR 60.560 - Applicability and designation of affected facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) manufacturing processes. (i) Affected facilities with a design capacity to produce less than 1,000 Mg/yr (1,102... Performance for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions from the Polymer Manufacturing Industry § 60.560... apply to affected facilities involved in the manufacture of polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, or...

76 FR 38024 - Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-29

..., and Prior to July 23, 1984. Kb Volatile Organic Liquid Storage X Vessels (Including Petroleum Liquid... R Primary Lead Smelters X X S Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants X X T Phosphate Fertilizer Industry: X X Wet Process Phosphoric Acid Plants. U Phosphate Fertilizer Industry: X X Superphosphoric Acid...

Preparation of Vegetable Oil Polymers by a Green Processing Method

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recently, attention has been focused on the development of environmentally friendly replacements for volatile organic solvents. One promising candidate is supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2). The low toxicity of CO2 and lack of toxic solvent residues in the final products make CO2 an attractive m...

Acrolein and other volatile organic emissions from the combustion of crude glycerol

EPA Science Inventory

Crude glycerol is an abundant by-product of biodiesel production. As volumes of this potential waste grow, there is increasing interest in developing new value added uses. One possible use, as a boiler fuel for process heating, offers added advantages of energy integration and f...

POLLUTION PREVENTION DEMONSTRATION AND EVALUATION OF PAINT APPLICATION EQUIPMENT AND ALTERNATIVES TO METHYLENE CHLORIDE AND METHYL ETHYL KETONE

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of demonstrations of technologies to prevent or control emissions of hazardous air pollutant (HAPs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from processes with high solvent usage: (1) paint stripping using methylene chloride, (2) cleaning paint equipment wi...

MICROWAVE ACCELERATED SOLVENT-FREE CHEMICAL REACTIONS, PUBLISHED IN AMPERE NEWSLETTER, ISSUE 29, JUNE 2001

EPA Science Inventory

The worldwide annual usage of volatile organic solvents is generally of the order of ~4 billion pounds. In the environmentally conscieous era, the focus in to design chemical processes and products that eliminate or minimize the waste generation and the ideal approach may compris...

Application of Novel Method to Measure Endogenous VOCs in Exhaled Breath Condensate Before and After Exposure to Diesel Exhaust

EPA Science Inventory

Polar volatile organic compounds (PVOCs) such as aldehydes, ketones, and alcohols are byproducts of normal human metabolism and are present in exhaled breath and blood. Environmental exposures, individual activities, and disease states can perturb normal metabolic processes and ...

VANADIA CATALYZED VAPOR PHASE OXIDATION OF METHANOL IN THE PRESENCE OF OZONE

EPA Science Inventory

Catalytic oxidation of methanol was carried out in the presence of ozone using vanadia based catalysts. The process can be used to selectively convert alcohols to aldehydes or ketones. It can also be used to control emissions of volatile organic compounds from Kraft mill and ot...

Soil sampling kit and a method of sampling therewith

DOEpatents

Thompson, Cyril V.

1991-01-01

A soil sampling device and a sample containment device for containing a soil sample is disclosed. In addition, a method for taking a soil sample using the soil sampling device and soil sample containment device to minimize the loss of any volatile organic compounds contained in the soil sample prior to analysis is disclosed. The soil sampling device comprises two close fitting, longitudinal tubular members of suitable length, the inner tube having the outward end closed. With the inner closed tube withdrawn a selected distance, the outer tube can be inserted into the ground or other similar soft material to withdraw a sample of material for examination. The inner closed end tube controls the volume of the sample taken and also serves to eject the sample. The soil sample containment device has a sealing member which is adapted to attach to an analytical apparatus which analyzes the volatile organic compounds contained in the sample. The soil sampling device in combination with the soil sample containment device allow an operator to obtain a soil sample containing volatile organic compounds and minimizing the loss of the volatile organic compounds prior to analysis of the soil sample for the volatile organic compounds.

Soil sampling kit and a method of sampling therewith

DOEpatents

Thompson, C.V.

1991-02-05

A soil sampling device and a sample containment device for containing a soil sample is disclosed. In addition, a method for taking a soil sample using the soil sampling device and soil sample containment device to minimize the loss of any volatile organic compounds contained in the soil sample prior to analysis is disclosed. The soil sampling device comprises two close fitting, longitudinal tubular members of suitable length, the inner tube having the outward end closed. With the inner closed tube withdrawn a selected distance, the outer tube can be inserted into the ground or other similar soft material to withdraw a sample of material for examination. The inner closed end tube controls the volume of the sample taken and also serves to eject the sample. The soil sample containment device has a sealing member which is adapted to attach to an analytical apparatus which analyzes the volatile organic compounds contained in the sample. The soil sampling device in combination with the soil sample containment device allows an operator to obtain a soil sample containing volatile organic compounds and minimizing the loss of the volatile organic compounds prior to analysis of the soil sample for the volatile organic compounds. 11 figures.

Analysis of selected volatile organic compounds at background level in South Africa.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ntsasa, Napo; Tshilongo, James; Lekoto, Goitsemang

2017-04-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) are measured globally at urban air pollution monitoring and background level at specific locations such as the Cape Point station. The urban pollution monitoring is legislated at government level; however, the background levels are scientific outputs of the World Meteorological Organisation Global Atmospheric Watch program (WMO/GAW). The Cape Point is a key station in the Southern Hemisphere which monitors greenhouse gases and halocarbons, with reported for over the past decade. The Cape Point station does not have the measurement capability VOC's currently. A joint research between the Cape Point station and the National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA) objective is to perform qualitative and quantitative analysis of volatile organic compounds listed in the GAW program. NMISA is responsible for development, maintain and disseminate primary reference gas mixtures which are directly traceable to the International System of Units (SI) The results of some volatile organic compounds which where sampled in high pressure gas cylinders will be presented. The analysis of samples was performed on the gas chromatography with flame ionisation detector and mass selective detector (GC-FID/MSD) with a dedicate cryogenic pre-concentrator system. Keywords: volatile organic compounds, gas chromatography, pre-concentrator

77 FR 1417 - Partial Approval and Partial Disapproval of Air Quality Implementation Plans; California; San...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-10

... following three rules identified under group 4: 1. Rule 4566--Organic Material Composting Operations... Volatile Organic Compound Regulations--California Department of Pesticide Regulation--submitted August 2... from VOC control requirements, while the CTG for this source category (``Control of Volatile Organic...

40 CFR 52.1783 - Original identification of plan section.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Residual Oil Burners 15 NCAC 2D.0902, Applicability (Volatile Organic Compounds) 15 NCAC 2H.0603... or Residual Oil Burners 15 NCAC 2D.0939, Determination of Volatile Organic Compound Emissions (B) The... 2D.0943, Synthetic Organic Chemical and Polymer Manufacturing 15 NCAC 2D.0944, Manufacturing of...

40 CFR 63.827 - Performance test methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... means of a monthly liquid-liquid material balance. (b) Determination of the weight fraction organic HAP... organic volatile matter concentration of 50 parts per million by volume (ppmv) or less as carbon is... gas organic volatile matter concentrations of 50 ppmv or less as carbon, or (C) Because of the high...

40 CFR 63.827 - Performance test methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... means of a monthly liquid-liquid material balance. (b) Determination of the weight fraction organic HAP... organic volatile matter concentration of 50 parts per million by volume (ppmv) or less as carbon is... gas organic volatile matter concentrations of 50 ppmv or less as carbon, or (C) Because of the high...

40 CFR 63.3541 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... matter collection and recovery efficiency to the mass of organic HAP contained in the coatings and... cumulative amount of volatile organic matter recovered by the solvent recovery system each month. (2) For each solvent recovery system, determine the mass of volatile organic matter recovered for the month, kg...

40 CFR 63.3541 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... matter collection and recovery efficiency to the mass of organic HAP contained in the coatings and... cumulative amount of volatile organic matter recovered by the solvent recovery system each month. (2) For each solvent recovery system, determine the mass of volatile organic matter recovered for the month, kg...

EPA Air Method, Toxic Organics - 15 (TO-15): Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Air Collected in Specially-Prepared Canisters and Analyzed by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Method T)-15 describes procedures for for preparation and analysis of air samples containing volatile organic compounds collected in specially-prepared canisters, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

77 FR 38761 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Volatile Organic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-29

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Volatile Organic Compounds; Consumer Products AGENCY... organic compound (VOC) emissions limits and other restrictions on consumer products that are sold... this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period. Any parties interested in...

Determination of polar organic solutes in oil-shale retort water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leenheer, J.A.; Noyes, T.I.; Stuber, H.A.

1982-01-01

A variety of analytical methods were used to quantitatively determine polar organic solutes in process retort water and a gas-condensate retort water produced in a modified in situ oil-shale retort. Specific compounds accounting for 50% of the dissolved organic carbon were identified in both retort waters. In the process water, 42% of the dissolved organic carbon consisted of a homologous series of fatty acids from C2 to C10. Dissolved organic carbon percentages for other identified compound classes were as follows: aliphatic dicarboxylic acids, 1.4%; phenols, 2.2%; hydroxypyridines, 1.1%; aliphatic amides, 1.2%. In the gas-condensate retort water, aromatic amines were most abundant at 19.3% of the dissolved organic carbon, followed by phenols (17.8%), nitriles (4.3%), aliphatic alcohols (3.5%), aliphatic ketones (2.4%), and lactones (1.3%). Steam-volatile organic solutes were enriched in the gas-condensate retort water, whereas nonvolatile acids and polyfunctional neutral compounds were predominant organic constituents of the process retort water.

Fate and transport of monoterpenes through soils. Part II: calculation of the effect of soil temperature, water saturation and organic carbon content.

PubMed

van Roon, André; Parsons, John R; Krap, Lenny; Govers, Harrie A J

2005-09-01

This theoretical study was performed to investigate the influence of soil temperature, soil water content and soil organic carbon fraction on the mobility of monoterpenes (C10HnOn') applied as pesticides to a top soil layer. This mobility was expressed as the amount volatilized and leached from the contaminated soil layer after a certain amount of time. For this, (slightly modified) published analytical solutions to a one dimensional, homogeneous medium, diffusion/advection/biodegradation mass balance equation were used. The required input-parameters were determined in a preceding study. Because the monoterpenes studied differ widely in the values for their physico-chemical properties, the relative importance of the various determinants also differed widely. Increasing soil water saturation reduced monoterpene vaporization and leaching losses although a modest increase was usually observed at high soil water contents. Organic matter served as the major retention domain, reducing volatilization and leaching losses. Increasing temperature resulted in higher volatilization and leaching losses. Monoterpene mobility was influenced by vertical water flow. Volatilization losses could be reduced by adding a clean soil layer on top of the contaminated soil. Detailed insight into the specific behaviour of different monoterpenes was obtained by discussing intermediate calculation results; the transport retardation factors and effective soil diffusion coefficients. One insight was that the air-water interface compartment is probably not an important partitioning domain for monoterpenes in most circumstances. The results further indicated that biodegradation is an important process for monoterpenes in soil.

TOXIC ORGANIC VOLATILIZATION FROM LAND TREATMENT SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Methodology was evaluated for estimating volatilization of toxic organic chemicals from unsaturated soils. Projections were compared with laboratory data for simulated rapid infiltration wastewater treatment systems receiving primary municipal wastewater spiked with a suite of 18...

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS AS EXPOSURE BIOMARKERS

EPA Science Inventory

Alveolar breath sampling and analysis can be extremely useful in exposure assessment studies involving volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Over recent years scientists from the US Environmental Protection Agency's National Exposure Research Laboratory have developed and refined...

Molecular structure impacts on secondary organic aerosol formation from glycol ethers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Lijie; Cocker, David R.

2018-05-01

Glycol ethers, a class of widely used solvents in consumer products, are often considered exempt as volatile organic compounds based on their vapor pressure or boiling points by regulatory agencies. However, recent studies found that glycol ethers volatilize at ambient conditions nearly as rapidly as the traditional high-volatility solvents indicating the potential of glycol ethers to form secondary organic aerosol (SOA). This is the first work on SOA formation from glycol ethers. The impact of molecular structure, specifically -OH, on SOA formation from glycol ethers and related ethers are investigated in the work. Ethers with and without -OH, with methyl group hindrance on -OH and with -OH at different location are studied in the presence of NOX and under "NOX free" conditions. Photooxidation experiments under different oxidation conditions confirm that the processing of ethers is a combination of carbonyl formation, cyclization and fragmentation. Bulk SOA chemical composition analysis and oxidation products identified in both gas and particle phase suggests that the presence and location of -OH in the carbon bond of ethers determine the occurrence of cyclization mechanism during ether oxidation. The cyclization is proposed as a critical SOA formation mechanism to prevent the formation of volatile compounds from fragmentation during the oxidation of ethers. Glycol ethers with -CH2-O-CH2CH2OH structure is found to readily form cyclization products, especially with the presence of NOx, which is more relevant to urban atmospheric conditions than without NOx. Glycol ethers are evaluated as dominating SOA precursors among all ethers studied. It is estimated that the contribution of glycol ethers to anthropogenic SOA is roughly 1% of the current organic aerosol from mobile sources. The contribution of glycol ethers to anthropogenic SOA is roughly 1% of the current organic aerosol from mobile sources and will play a more important role in future anthropogenic SOA formation.

Measured and simulated nitrogen fluxes after field application of food-processing and municipal organic wastes.

PubMed

Parnaudeau, V; Génermont, S; Hénault, C; Farrugia, A; Robert, P; Nicolardot, B

2009-01-01

The aims of this study were to (i) assess N fluxes (mineralization, volatilization, denitrification, leaching) caused by spreading various organic wastes from food-processing industries during a field experiment, and (ii) to identify the main factors affecting N transformation processes after field spreading. Experimental treatments including the spreading of six types of waste and a control soil were set up in August 2000 and studied for 22 mo under bare soil conditions. Ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions, and nitrogen mineralization were measured in experimental devices and extrapolated to field conditions or computed in calculation models. The ammonia emissions varied from 80 to 580 g kg(-1) NH4+-N applied, representing 0 to 90 g N kg(-1) total N applied. Under these meteorologically favorable conditions (dry and warm weather), waste pH was the main factor affecting volatilization rates. Cumulated N2O-N fluxes were estimated at 2 to 5 g kg(-1) total N applied, which was quite low due to the low soil water content during the experimental period; water-filled pore space (WFPS) was confirmed as the main factor affecting N2O fluxes. Nitrogen mineralization from wastes represented 126 to 723 g N kg(-1) organic N added from the incorporation date to 14 May 2001 and was not related to the organic C to organic N ratio of wastes. Nitrogen lost by leaching during the equivalent period ranged from 30 to 890 g kg(-1) total N applied. The highest values were obtained for wastes having the highest inorganic N content and mineralization rates.

Molecular Composition and Volatility of Organic Aerosol in the Southeastern U.S.: Implications for IEPOX Derived SOA.

PubMed

Lopez-Hilfiker, F D; Mohr, C; D'Ambro, E L; Lutz, A; Riedel, T P; Gaston, C J; Iyer, S; Zhang, Z; Gold, A; Surratt, J D; Lee, B H; Kurten, T; Hu, W W; Jimenez, J; Hallquist, M; Thornton, J A

2016-03-01

We present measurements as part of the Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) during which atmospheric aerosol particles were comprehensively characterized. We present results utilizing a Filter Inlet for Gases and AEROsol coupled to a chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS). We focus on the volatility and composition of isoprene derived organic aerosol tracers and of the bulk organic aerosol. By utilizing the online volatility and molecular composition information provided by the FIGAERO-CIMS, we show that the vast majority of commonly reported molecular tracers of isoprene epoxydiol (IEPOX) derived secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is derived from thermal decomposition of accretion products or other low volatility organics having effective saturation vapor concentrations <10(-3) μg m(-3). In addition, while accounting for up to 30% of total submicrometer organic aerosol mass, the IEPOX-derived SOA has a higher volatility than the remaining bulk. That IEPOX-SOA, and more generally bulk organic aerosol in the Southeastern U.S. is comprised of effectively nonvolatile material has important implications for modeling SOA derived from isoprene, and for mechanistic interpretations of molecular tracer measurements. Our results show that partitioning theory performs well for 2-methyltetrols, once accretion product decomposition is taken into account. No significant partitioning delays due to aerosol phase or viscosity are observed, and no partitioning to particle-phase water or other unexplained mechanisms are needed to explain our results.

Measurements of particulate semi-volatile material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pang, Yanbo

2000-10-01

A new innovative sampling system, PC-BOSS, was developed by the combination of particle concentrator and BOSS denuder techniques in response to the new EPA PM2.5 standard and to meet top research priorities for particulate matter that were identified by the National Research Council. The PC-BOSS (P_article C_oncentrator- B_righam Young University O_rganic S_ampling S_ystem) can accurately determine not only PM2.5 stable mass and species such as sulfate, but also particulate semi- volatile material. Several field comparison studies of the PC-BOSS with the EPA PM2.5 reference method and state-of-the-art fine particle measurement methods confirm the capability of the PC-BOSS to accurately determine particulate semi-volatile material, especially organic compounds. This is the first routine sampling system for the determination of both particulate semi-volatile inorganic and organic material. Two other denuder system samplers for the determination of PM2.5 total mass including semi-volatile material were also developed for PM2.5 research and exposure monitoring. Results of studies around the United States indicate that the EPA PM2.5 FRM (Federal Reference Method) under- measured PM2.5 mass by 20-30% compared to PC-BOSS results due to the loss of particulate nitrate and semi-volatile organic compounds during sampling. Organic material is mostly responsible for this under- measurement by the FRM. Using our new sampling system in epidemiological and exposure studies will be essential to providing answers to some top research priorities for particulate matter and promote a better PM2.5 standard for the protection of human health because some fractions of particulate semi-volatile organic compounds are toxic and are possibly responsible for health effects associated with exposure to particulate matter. The atmospheric chemistry of organic aerosols in the troposphere and stratosphere is still largely unknown because of the lack of detailed organic aerosol information. The importance of organic aerosols might also be underestimated because current data on organic aerosols in the troposphere and stratosphere were mostly obtained by traditional methods, like the FRM method. Using PC-BOSS to study organic aerosols in the troposphere and stratosphere will provide not only more but also more accurate information about organic aerosols, and significantly improve the understanding of the role of aerosols in global warming, ozone depletion, and atmospheric heterogenous chemistry.

Effects of NOx on the volatility of secondary organic aerosol from isoprene photooxidation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Lu; Kollman, Matthew S.; Song, Chen

2014-01-28

The effects of NOx on the volatility of the secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed from isoprene photooxidation are investigated in environmental chamber experiments. Two types of experiments are performed. In HO2-dominant experiments, organic peroxy radicals (RO2) primarily react with HO2. In mixed experiments, RO2 reacts through multiple pathways. The volatility and oxidation state of isoprene SOA is sensitive to and displays a non-linear dependence on NOx levels. When initial NO/isoprene ratio is approximately 3 (ppbv:ppbv), SOA are shown to be most oxidized and least volatile, associated with the highest SOA yield. A High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) is appliedmore » to characterize the key chemical properties of aerosols. While the composition of SOA in mixed experiments does not change substantially over time, SOA become less volatile and more oxidized as oxidation progresses in HO2-dominant experiments. Analysis of the SOA composition suggests that the further reactions of organic peroxides and alcohols may produce carboxylic acids, which might play a strong role in SOA aging.« less

Inorganic salts interact with organic di-acids in sub-micron particles to form material with low hygroscopicity and volatility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drozd, G.; Woo, J.; Häkkinen, S. A. K.; Nenes, A.; McNeill, V. F.

2013-11-01

Volatility and hygroscopicity are two key properties of organic aerosol components, and both are strongly related to chemical identity. Here we show that inorganic-organic component interactions typically not considered in atmospheric models may strongly affect aerosol volatility and hygroscopicity. In particular, bi-dentate binding of di-carboxylic acids (DCA) to soluble inorganic ions can lead to very strongly bound metal-organic complexes with largely undetermined hygroscopicity and volatility. These reactions profoundly impact particle hygroscopicity, transforming hygroscopic components into irreversibly non-hygroscopic material. While the hygroscopicities of pure salts, DCA, and DCA salts are known, the hygroscopicity of internal mixtures of hygroscopic salts and DCA, as they are typically found in the atmosphere, has not been fully characterized. We have studied the volatility of pure, dry organic salt particles and the hygroscopicity of internal mixtures of oxalic acid (OxA, the dominant DCA in the atmosphere) and a number of salts, both mono- and di-valent. The formation of very low volatility organic salts was confirmed, with minimal evaporation of oxalate salt particles below 75 °C. Dramatic increases in the CCN activation diameter for particles with divalent salts (e.g. CaCl2) and relatively small particle mass fractions of OxA indicate that standard volume additivity rules for hygroscopicity do not apply. Thus small organic compounds with high O:C are capable of forming low volatility and very low hygroscopicity particles. Given current knowledge of the formation mechanisms of OxA and M-Ox salts, surface enrichment of insoluble M-Ox salts is expected. The resulting formation of an insoluble coating of metal-oxalate salts can explain low particle hygroscopicities. The formation of particles with a hard coating could offer an alternative explanation for observations of glass-like particles with very low viscosity.

Fact Sheets for the Architectural Coating Rule for Volatile Organic Compounds

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page contains an August 1998 fact sheet with information regarding the National Volatile Organic Compounds Emission Standards for Architectural Coatings Rule. This page also contains information on applicability and compliance for this rule.

Volatile organic compounds: sampling methods and their worldwide profile in ambient air.

PubMed

Kumar, Anuj; Víden, Ivan

2007-08-01

The atmosphere is a particularly difficult analytical system because of the very low levels of substances to be analysed, sharp variations in pollutant levels with time and location, differences in wind, temperature and humidity. This makes the selection of an efficient sampling technique for air analysis a key step to reliable results. Generally, methods for volatile organic compounds sampling include collection of the whole air or preconcentration of samples on adsorbents. All the methods vary from each other according to the sampling technique, type of sorbent, method of extraction and identification technique. In this review paper we discuss various important aspects for sampling of volatile organic compounds by the widely used and advanced sampling methods. Characteristics of various adsorbents used for VOCs sampling are also described. Furthermore, this paper makes an effort to comprehensively review the concentration levels of volatile organic compounds along with the methodology used for analysis, in major cities of the world.

Optimization of methane production by combining organic waste and cow manure as feedstock in anaerobic digestion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theresia, Martha; Priadi, Cindy Rianti

2017-03-01

The anaerobic digestion (AD) process from organic waste is often unstable due to the high concentration of Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs). The purpose of this research was to determine/evaluate the production of methane using biochemical methane potential (BMP) test with two substrate combinations, consisted of organic waste and cow manure as buffer. BMP test conducted for 35 days at a temperature of ± 35°C by measuring the volume and concentration of biogas every week and testing the sample characteristics before and after the test. The result of the sample variation showed there was no significantly difference of methane volume in the 5th week except the variation of organic waste/cow manure: 12/1 to 3/1, but the sample with a ratio of 3/1 yielded the highest methane potential of 0,58 ± 0.015 (n = 3) LCH4/gr Volatile Solid. The addition of cow manure stabilized the condition of all variations during BMP test with VFAs/alkalinity <0.3 although Carbon/Nitogen ratio of each variation is <20.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simoneit, B.R.T.; Radzi bin Abas, M.; Cass, G.R.

Biomass combustion is an important primary source of carbonaceous particles in the global atmosphere. Various molecular markers have been proposed for this process but additional specific tracers are needed. The injection of natural product organic compounds into smoke occurs primarily by direct volatilization/steam stripping and by pyrolysis. Although the composition of organic matter in smoke particles is highly variable, the molecular structures of the tracers are generally source specific. Homologous compounds and biomarkers present in smoke are derived directly from plant wax, gum and resin by volatilization and secondarily from pyrolysis of biopolymers (e.g., lignin, cutin, suberin), wax, gum andmore » resin. The component complexity is illustrated with examples from controlled bums of temperate and tropical biomass fuels. Conifer smoke contains characteristic tracers from diterpenoids as well as phenolics and other oxygenated species. These are recognizable in urban airsheds. The major organic components of smoke from tropical biomass are straight-chain, aliphatic and oxygenated compounds and triterpenoids. Several compounds are potential key indicators for combustion of such biomass. The precursor to product approach of organic geochemistry can be applied successfully to provide molecular tracers for studying smoke plume chemistry and dispersion.« less

Volatiles in Inter-Specific Bacterial Interactions

PubMed Central

Tyc, Olaf; Zweers, Hans; de Boer, Wietse; Garbeva, Paolina

2015-01-01

The importance of volatile organic compounds for functioning of microbes is receiving increased research attention. However, to date very little is known on how inter-specific bacterial interactions effect volatiles production as most studies have been focused on volatiles produced by monocultures of well-described bacterial genera. In this study we aimed to understand how inter-specific bacterial interactions affect the composition, production and activity of volatiles. Four phylogenetically different bacterial species namely: Chryseobacterium, Dyella, Janthinobacterium, and Tsukamurella were selected. Earlier results had shown that pairwise combinations of these bacteria induced antimicrobial activity in agar media whereas this was not the case for monocultures. In the current study, we examined if these observations were also reflected by the production of antimicrobial volatiles. Thus, the identity and antimicrobial activity of volatiles produced by the bacteria were determined in monoculture as well in pairwise combinations. Antimicrobial activity of the volatiles was assessed against fungal, oomycetal, and bacterial model organisms. Our results revealed that inter-specific bacterial interactions affected volatiles blend composition. Fungi and oomycetes showed high sensitivity to bacterial volatiles whereas the effect of volatiles on bacteria varied between no effects, growth inhibition to growth promotion depending on the volatile blend composition. In total 35 volatile compounds were detected most of which were sulfur-containing compounds. Two commonly produced sulfur-containing volatile compounds (dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide) were tested for their effect on three target bacteria. Here, we display the importance of inter-specific interactions on bacterial volatiles production and their antimicrobial activities. PMID:26733959

Analysis of volatile organic compounds of ‘Fuji’ apples following electron beam irradiation and storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Hyun-Pa; Shim, Sung-Lye; Lee, Sun-Im; Kim, Dong-Ho; Kwon, Joong-Ho; Kim, Kyong-Su

2012-08-01

The volatile organic compounds of non-irradiated and electron-beam irradiated 'Fuji' apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) at 0, 0.5, and 1 kGy were isolated through simultaneous distillation extractions and analyzed using gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry. A total of 53 volatile organic compounds were characterized in 0 and 1 kGy irradiated samples, whereas two more compounds related to ketone and terpenoid group were identified in 0.5 kGy irradiated samples. The contents of volatile compounds were 24.33, 36.49, and 35.28 mg/kg in 0, 0.5, and 1 kGy irradiated samples, respectively. The major compounds identified were butanol, hexanal, [E]-2-hexenal, and hexanol in all samples. The relative content of alcohol increased after 30 days of storage in all samples, whereas that of aldehyde decreased. Although the contents of some volatile compounds were changed by electron-beam irradiation, the total yield and major flavor compounds of irradiated 'Fuji' apples were similar to, or even greater than, those of the control. Therefore, the application of e-beam irradiation if required for microbial decontamination of 'Fuji' apples is an acceptable method as it does not bring about any major quantitative changes of volatile organic compounds.

Secondary organic aerosol production from pinanediol, a semi-volatile surrogate for first-generation oxidation products of monoterpenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Penglin; Zhao, Yunliang; Chuang, Wayne K.; Robinson, Allen L.; Donahue, Neil M.

2018-05-01

We have investigated the production of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from pinanediol (PD), a precursor chosen as a semi-volatile surrogate for first-generation oxidation products of monoterpenes. Observations at the CLOUD facility at CERN have shown that oxidation of organic compounds such as PD can be an important contributor to new-particle formation. Here we focus on SOA mass yields and chemical composition from PD photo-oxidation in the CMU smog chamber. To determine the SOA mass yields from this semi-volatile precursor, we had to address partitioning of both the PD and its oxidation products to the chamber walls. After correcting for these losses, we found OA loading dependent SOA mass yields from PD oxidation that ranged between 0.1 and 0.9 for SOA concentrations between 0.02 and 20 µg m-3, these mass yields are 2-3 times larger than typical of much more volatile monoterpenes. The average carbon oxidation state measured with an aerosol mass spectrometer was around -0.7. We modeled the chamber data using a dynamical two-dimensional volatility basis set and found that a significant fraction of the SOA comprises low-volatility organic compounds that could drive new-particle formation and growth, which is consistent with the CLOUD observations.

The Origin of Carbon-Bearing Volatiles in a Continental Hydrothermal System in the Great Basin: Water Chemistry and Isotope Characterizations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fu, Qi; Socki, Richard A.; Niles, Paul B.; Romanek, Christopher; Datta, Saugata; Darnell, Mike

2012-01-01

Hydrothermal systems on Earth are active centers in the crust where organic molecules can be synthesized biotically or abiotically under a wide range of physical and chemical conditions [1-3]. Not only are volatile species (CO, CO2, H2, and hydrocarbons) a reflection of deep-seated hydrothermal alteration processes, but they also form an important component of biological systems. Studying carbon-bearing fluids from hydrothermal systems is of specific importance to understanding (bio-)geochemical processes within these systems. With recent detection of methane in the martian atmosphere [4-7] and the possibility of its hydrothermal origin [8, 9], understanding the formation mechanisms of methane may provide constraints on the history of the martian aqueous environments and climate.

Elimination of volatile organic compounds by biofiltration: a review.

PubMed

Nikiema, Josiane; Dastous, Paul-André; Heitz, Michèle

2007-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are pollutants that are responsible for the formation of the tropospheric ozone, one of the precursors of smog. VOCs are emitted by various industries including chemical plants, pulp and paper mills, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, electronics and agri-food industries. Some VOCs cause odor pollution while many of them are harmful to environment and human or animal health. For the removal of VOCs, biofiltration, a biological process, has proved to be reliable when properly operated. This process has therefore been widely applied in Europe and North America. The main advantages associated with the use of biofiltration are related to its set-up, maintenance, and operating costs which are usually lower than those related to other VOCs control technologies and because it is less harmful for the environment than conventional processes like incineration. In the present paper, the main parameters (type, moisture, pH, and temperature of filter bed, microbial population, nutrients concentrations, and VOCs' inlet load) to be controlled during the biofiltration are identified and described in detail. The main phenomena involved in biofiltration are also discussed. For improving the efficiency of VOC control biotechnology, new techniques are now proposed that include the use of membranes, biphasic reactors, UV photolysis, and many others.

[Emission characteristics and safety evaluation of volatile organic compounds in manufacturing processes of automotive coatings].

PubMed

Zeng, Pei-Yuan; Li, Jian-Jun; Liao, Dong-Qi; Tu, Xiang; Xu, Mei-Ying; Sun, Guo-Ping

2013-12-01

Emission characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were investigated in an automotive coating manufacturing enterprise. Air samples were taken from eight different manufacturing areas in three workshops, and the species of VOCs and their concentrations were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Safety evaluation was also conducted by comparing the concentration of VOCs with the permissible concentration-short term exposure limit (PC-STEL) regulated by the Ministry of Health. The results showed that fifteen VOCs were detected in the indoor air of the automotive coatings workshop, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, methyl isobutyl ketone, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, trimethylbenzene and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, Their concentrations widely ranged from 0.51 to 593.14 mg x m(-3). The concentrations of TVOCs were significantly different among different manufacturing processes. Even in the same manufacturing process, the concentrations of each component measured at different times were also greatly different. The predominant VOCs of indoor air in the workshop were identified to be ethylbenzene and butyl acetate. The concentrations of most VOCs exceeded the occupational exposure limits, so the corresponding control measures should be taken to protect the health of the workers.

In Vitro Toxicity Screening Technique for Volatile Substances ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In 2007 the National Research Council envisioned the need for inexpensive, high throughput, cell based toxicity testing methods relevant to human health. High Throughput Screening (HTS) in vitro screening approaches have addressed these problems by using robotics. However the challenge is that many of these chemicals are volatile and not amenable to HTS robotic liquid handling applications. We assembled an in vitro cell culture apparatus capable of screening volatile chemicals for toxicity with potential for miniaturization for high throughput. BEAS-2B lung cells were grown in an enclosed culture apparatus under air-liquid interface (ALI) conditions, and exposed to an array of xenobiotics in 5% CO2. Use of ALI conditions allows direct contact of cells with a gas xenobiotic, as well as release of endogenous gaseous molecules without interference by medium on the apical surface. To identify potential xenobiotic-induced perturbations in cell homeostasis, we monitored for alterations of endogenously-produced gaseous molecules in air directly above the cells, termed “headspace”. Alterations in specific endogenously-produced gaseous molecules (e.g., signaling molecules nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) in headspace is indicative of xenobiotic-induced perturbations of specific cellular processes. Additionally, endogenously produced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may be monitored in a nonspecific, discovery manner to determine whether cell processes are

Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of urinary volatile organic metabolites: Optimization of the HS-SPME procedure and sample storage conditions.

PubMed

Živković Semren, Tanja; Brčić Karačonji, Irena; Safner, Toni; Brajenović, Nataša; Tariba Lovaković, Blanka; Pizent, Alica

2018-01-01

Non-targeted metabolomics research of human volatile urinary metabolome can be used to identify potential biomarkers associated with the changes in metabolism related to various health disorders. To ensure reliable analysis of urinary volatile organic metabolites (VOMs) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), parameters affecting the headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) procedure have been evaluated and optimized. The influence of incubation and extraction temperatures and times, coating fibre material and salt addition on SPME efficiency was investigated by multivariate optimization methods using reduced factorial and Doehlert matrix designs. The results showed optimum values for temperature to be 60°C, extraction time 50min, and incubation time 35min. The proposed conditions were applied to investigate urine samples' stability regarding different storage conditions and freeze-thaw processes. The sum of peak areas of urine samples stored at 4°C, -20°C, and -80°C up to six months showed a time dependent decrease over time although storage at -80°C resulted in a slight non-significant reduction comparing to the fresh sample. However, due to the volatile nature of the analysed compounds, more than two cycles of freezing/thawing of the sample stored for six months at -80°C should be avoided whenever possible. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An experimental and thermodynamic equilibrium investigation of the Pb, Zn, Cr, Cu, Mn and Ni partitioning during sewage sludge incineration.

PubMed

Liu, Jingyong; Fu, Jiewen; Ning, Xun'an; Sun, Shuiyu; Wang, Yujie; Xie, Wuming; Huang, Shaosong; Zhong, Sheng

2015-09-01

The effects of different chlorides and operational conditions on the distribution and speciation of six heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cr, Cu, Mn and Ni) during sludge incineration were investigated using a simulated laboratory tubular-furnace reactor. A thermodynamic equilibrium investigation using the FactSage software was performed to compare the experimental results. The results indicate that the volatility of the target metals was enhanced as the chlorine concentration increased. Inorganic-Cl influenced the volatilization of heavy metals in the order of Pb>Zn>Cr>Cu>Mn>Ni. However, the effects of organic-Cl on the volatility of Mn, Pb and Cu were greater than the effects on Zn, Cr and Ni. With increasing combustion temperature, the presence of organic-Cl (PVC) and inorganic-Cl (NaCl) improved the transfer of Pb and Zn from bottom ash to fly ash or fuse gas. However, the presence of chloride had no obvious influence on Mn, Cu and Ni. Increased retention time could increase the volatilization rate of heavy metals; however, this effect was insignificant. During the incineration process, Pb readily formed PbSiO4 and remained in the bottom ash. Different Pb compounds, primarily the volatile PbCl2, were found in the gas phase after the addition of NaCl; the dominant Pb compounds in the gas phase after the addition of PVC were PbCl2, Pb(ClO4)2 and PbCl2O4. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Emission pattern of semi-volatile organic compounds from recycled styrenic polymers using headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Vilaplana, Francisco; Martínez-Sanz, Marta; Ribes-Greus, Amparo; Karlsson, Sigbritt

2010-01-15

The emission of low molecular weight compounds from recycled high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) has been investigated using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Four released target analytes (styrene, benzaldehyde, acetophenone, and 2-phenylpropanal) were selected for the optimisation of the HS-SPME sampling procedure, by analysing operating parameters such as type of SPME fibre (polarity and operating mechanism), particle size, extraction temperature and time. 26 different compounds were identified to be released at different temperatures from recycled HIPS, including residues of polymerisation, oxidated derivates of styrene, and additives. The type of SPME fibre employed in the sampling procedure affected the detection of emitted components. An adsorptive fibre such as carbowax/polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS fibre) offered good selectivity for both non-polar and polar volatile compounds at lower temperatures; higher temperatures result in interferences from less-volatile released compounds. An absorptive fibre as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fibre is suitable for the detection of less-volatile non-polar molecules at higher temperatures. The nature and relative amount of the emitted compounds increased with higher exposure temperature and smaller polymeric particle size. HS-SPME proves to be a suitable technique for screening the emission of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) from polymeric materials; reliable quantification of the content of target analytes in recycled HIPS is however difficult due to the complex mass-transfer processes involved, matrix effects, and the difficulties in equilibrating the analytical system. 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extraterrestrial organic matter: a review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irvine, W. M.

1998-01-01

We review the nature of the widespread organic material present in the Milky Way Galaxy and in the Solar System. Attention is given to the links between these environments and between primitive Solar System objects and the early Earth, indicating the preservation of organic material as an interstellar cloud collapsed to form the Solar System and as the Earth accreted such material from asteroids, comets and interplanetary dust particles. In the interstellar medium of the Milky Way Galaxy more than 100 molecular species, the bulk of them organic, have been securely identified, primarily through spectroscopy at the highest radio frequencies. There is considerable evidence for significantly heavier organic molecules, particularly polycyclic aromatics, although precise identification of individual species has not yet been obtained. The so-called diffuse interstellar bands are probably important in this context. The low temperature kinetics in interstellar clouds leads to very large isotopic fractionation, particularly for hydrogen, and this signature is present in organic components preserved in carbonaceous chondritic meteorites. Outer belt asteroids are the probable parent bodies of the carbonaceous chondrites, which may contain as much as 5% organic material, including a rich variety of amino acids, purines, pyrimidines, and other species of potential prebiotic interest. Richer in volatiles and hence less thermally processed are the comets, whose organic matter is abundant and poorly characterized. Cometary volatiles, observed after sublimation into the coma, include many species also present in the interstellar medium. There is evidence that most of the Earth's volatiles may have been supplied by a 'late' bombardment of comets and carbonaceous meteorites, scattered into the inner Solar System following the formation of the giant planets. How much in the way of intact organic molecules of potential prebiotic interest survived delivery to the Earth has become an increasingly debated topic over the last several years. The principal source for such intact organics was probably accretion of interplanetary dust particles of cometary origin.

77 FR 71129 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley United Air Pollution...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-29

... Register on June 21, 2012 and concerns volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from chipping and grinding... Organic Material 8/18/11 11/18/11 Composting Operations. We proposed to approve these rules because we... ozone forming volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from greenwaste composting that contains food...

77 FR 64445 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Illinois; Greif Packaging, LLC...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-22

... applies to emissions of volatile organic matter (VOM) from Greif's fiber drum container manufacturing facility. VOM, as defined by the State of Illinois, is identical to volatile organic compound, as defined... Environmental Protection Agency submitted to EPA for approval an adjustment to the general rule, Organic...

Fate of Volatile Organic Compounds in Constructed Wastewater Treatment Wetlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keefe, S.H.; Barber, L.B.; Runkel, R.L.; Ryan, J.N.

2004-01-01

The fate of volatile organic compounds was evaluated in a wastewater-dependent constructed wetland near Phoenix, AZ, using field measurements and solute transport modeling. Numerically based volatilization rates were determined using inverse modeling techniques and hydraulic parameters established by sodium bromide tracer experiments. Theoretical volatilization rates were calculated from the two-film method incorporating physicochemical properties and environmental conditions. Additional analyses were conducted using graphically determined volatilization rates based on field measurements. Transport (with first-order removal) simulations were performed using a range of volatilization rates and were evaluated with respect to field concentrations. The inverse and two-film reactive transport simulations demonstrated excellent agreement with measured concentrations for 1,4-dichlorobenzene, tetrachloroethene, dichloromethane, and trichloromethane and fair agreement for dibromochloromethane, bromo-dichloromethane, and toluene. Wetland removal efficiencies from inlet to outlet ranged from 63% to 87% for target compounds.

Occurrence and Removal of Organic Micropollutants in Landfill Leachates Treated by Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Processes.

PubMed

Oturan, Nihal; van Hullebusch, Eric D; Zhang, Hui; Mazeas, Laurent; Budzinski, Hélène; Le Menach, Karyn; Oturan, Mehmet A

2015-10-20

In recent years, electrochemical advanced oxidation processes have been shown to be an effective alternative for the removal of refractory organic compounds from water. This study is focused on the effective removal of recalcitrant organic matter (micropollutants, humic substances, etc.) present in municipal solid waste landfill leachates. A mixture of eight landfill leachates has been studied by the electro-Fenton process using a Pt or boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode and a carbon felt cathode or by the anodic oxidation process with a BDD anode. These processes exhibit great oxidation ability due to the in situ production of hydroxyl radicals ((•)OH), a highly powerful oxidizing species. Both electrochemical processes were shown to be efficient in the removal of dissolved total organic carbon (TOC) from landfill leachates. Regarding the electro-Fenton process, the replacement of the classical anode Pt by the anode BDD allows better performance in terms of dissolved TOC removal. The occurrence and removal yield of 19 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 15 volatile organic compounds, 7 alkylphenols, 7 polychlorobiphenyls, 5 organochlorine pesticides, and 2 polybrominated diphenyl ethers in landfill leachate were also investigated. Both electrochemical processes allow one to reach a quasicomplete removal (about 98%) of these organic micropollutants.

Heating-Induced Evaporation of Nine Different Secondary Organic Aerosol Types

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kolesar, Katheryn R.; Li, Ziyue; Wilson, Kevin R.

The volatility of the compounds comprising organic aerosol (OA) determines their distribution between the gas and particle phases. However, there is a disconnect between volatility distributions as typically derived from secondary OA (SOA) growth experiments and the effective particle volatility as probed in evaporation experiments. Specifically, the evaporation experiments indicate an overall much less volatile SOA. This raises questions regarding the use of traditional volatility distributions in the simulation and prediction of atmospheric SOA concentrations. Here, we present results from measurements of thermally induced evaporation of SOA for nine different SOA types (i.e., distinct volatile organic compound and oxidant pairs)more » encompassing both anthropogenic and biogenic compounds and O 3 and OH to examine the extent to which the low effective volatility of SOA is a general phenomenon or specific to a subset of SOA types. The observed extents of evaporation with temperature were similar for all the SOA types and indicative of a low effective volatility. Furthermore, minimal variations in the composition of all the SOA types upon heating-induced evaporation were observed. These results suggest that oligomer decomposition likely plays a major role in controlling SOA evaporation, and since the SOA formation time scale in these measurements was less than a minute, the oligomer-forming reactions must be similarly rapid. Overall, these results emphasize the importance of accounting for the role of condensed phase reactions in altering the composition of SOA when assessing particle volatility.« less

Heating-Induced Evaporation of Nine Different Secondary Organic Aerosol Types

DOE PAGES

Kolesar, Katheryn R.; Li, Ziyue; Wilson, Kevin R.; ...

2015-09-22

The volatility of the compounds comprising organic aerosol (OA) determines their distribution between the gas and particle phases. However, there is a disconnect between volatility distributions as typically derived from secondary OA (SOA) growth experiments and the effective particle volatility as probed in evaporation experiments. Specifically, the evaporation experiments indicate an overall much less volatile SOA. This raises questions regarding the use of traditional volatility distributions in the simulation and prediction of atmospheric SOA concentrations. Here, we present results from measurements of thermally induced evaporation of SOA for nine different SOA types (i.e., distinct volatile organic compound and oxidant pairs)more » encompassing both anthropogenic and biogenic compounds and O 3 and OH to examine the extent to which the low effective volatility of SOA is a general phenomenon or specific to a subset of SOA types. The observed extents of evaporation with temperature were similar for all the SOA types and indicative of a low effective volatility. Furthermore, minimal variations in the composition of all the SOA types upon heating-induced evaporation were observed. These results suggest that oligomer decomposition likely plays a major role in controlling SOA evaporation, and since the SOA formation time scale in these measurements was less than a minute, the oligomer-forming reactions must be similarly rapid. Overall, these results emphasize the importance of accounting for the role of condensed phase reactions in altering the composition of SOA when assessing particle volatility.« less

Surface-water-quality assessment of the Upper Illinois River basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin : data on manmade nonagricultural volatile and semivolatile organic chemicals in water, May 1988 through March 1990

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fitzpatrick, F.A.; Colman, J.A.

1993-01-01

This report contains data from the survey of manmade nonagricultural volatile and semivolatile organic chemicals in surface water in the upper Illinois River basin from May 1988 through March l990. In addition to the data, sampling methods and quality-assurance procedures are described. The survey was part of the upper Illinois River basin pilot project of the National Water-Quality Assessment program conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey. The organic chemicals analyzed from the water samples were those expected to be associated primarily with effluent from point sources in urban areas. A low-flow synoptic investigation of 52 volatile and 54 semivolatile organic chemicals was conducted at 31 sites in July 1988. Additional samples were collected monthly at two sites to continue to test for the presence of 43 volatile organic chemicals from December 1988 through March l990, and of all semivolatile organic chemicals at two sites from August through September 1988.

Long-term ground-water monitoring program and performance-evaluation plan for the extraction system at the former Nike Missile Battery Site, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Senus, Michael P.; Tenbus, Frederick J.

2000-01-01

This report presents lithologic and ground-water-quality data collected during April and May 2000 in the remote areas of the tidal wetland of West Branch Canal Creek, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Contamination of the Canal Creek aquifer with volatile organic compounds has been documented in previous investigations of the area. This study was conducted to investigate areas that were previously inaccessible because of deep mud and shallow water, and to support ongoing investigations of the fate and transport of volatile organic compounds in the Canal Creek aquifer. A unique vibracore drill rig mounted on a hovercraft was used for drilling and ground-water sampling. Continuous cores of the wetland sediment and of the Canal Creek aquifer were collected at five sites. Attempts to sample ground water were made by use of a continuous profiler at 12 sites, without well installation, at a total of 81 depths within the aquifer. Of those 81 attempts, only 34 sampling depths produced enough water to collect samples. Ground-water samples from two sites had the highest concentrations of volatile organic compounds?with total volatile organic compound concentrations in the upper part of the aquifer ranging from about 15,000 to 50,000 micrograms per liter. Ground-water samples from five sites had much lower total volatile organic compound concentrations (95 to 2,100 micrograms per liter), whereas two sites were essentially not contaminated, with total volatile organic compound concentrations less than or equal to 5 micrograms per liter.

Characteristics of major volatile organic hazardous air pollutants in the urban air of Kaohsiung city.

PubMed

Huang, Mei-Chuan; Lin, Jim Juimin

2007-10-01

The concentrations and characteristics of volatile organic hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in the urban city of Kaohsiung from motor vehicles and dense pollutant sources has become a national concern. To continuously monitor volatile organic HAPs, sampling sites were selected near the four air-quality monitoring stations established by Ethe nvironmental Protection Administration of Taiwan ROC, namely Nan-tz, Tso-ying, San-min and Hsiao-kang, from north to south. An on-site automated online monitor of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was used for continuous monitoring. This study performed two consecutive days of 24-h monitoring of five volatile organic HAPs form August to October 2005 at the four monitoring sites, which cover the northern, central, and southern areas of Kaohsiung city. The average monitored concentration was 2.78-4.84 ppb for benzene, 5.90-9.66 ppb for toluene, 3.62-5.90 ppb for ethylbenzene, 3.73-5.34 ppb for m,p-xylene, 3.38-4.22 ppb for o-xylene, and 4.48-7.00 ppb for styrene. The average monitored concentrations of the major volatile organic HAPs tended to follow the pattern San-min > Nan-tz > Hsiao-kang > Tso-ying. Among all the species monitored in this study, toluene had the highest ambient concentration, followed by styrene, m,p-xylene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and benzene. The results showed that the concentration at night was higher than that in the day for toluene at Nan-tz, San-min, Hsiao-kang, and for benzene at Nan-tz and Hsiao-kang.

Lithologic and ground-water-quality data collected using Hoverprobe drilling techniques at the West Branch Canal Creek wetland, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, April-May 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phelan, Daniel J.; Senus, Michael P.; Olsen, Lisa D.

2001-01-01

This report presents lithologic and groundwater- quality data collected during April and May 2000 in the remote areas of the tidal wetland of West Branch Canal Creek, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Contamination of the Canal Creek aquifer with volatile organic compounds has been documented in previous investigations of the area. This study was conducted to investigate areas that were previously inaccessible because of deep mud and shallow water, and to support ongoing investigations of the fate and transport of volatile organic compounds in the Canal Creek aquifer. A unique vibracore drill rig mounted on a hovercraft was used for drilling and groundwater sampling. Continuous cores of the wetland sediment and of the Canal Creek aquifer were collected at five sites. Attempts to sample ground water were made by use of a continuous profiler at 12 sites, without well installation, at a total of 81 depths within the aquifer. Of those 81 attempts, only 34 sampling depths produced enough water to collect samples. Ground-water samples from two sites had the highest concentrations of volatile organic compounds?with total volatile organic compound concentrations in the upper part of the aquifer ranging from about 15,000 to 50,000 micrograms per liter. Ground-water samples from five sites had much lower total volatile organic compound concentrations (95 to 2,100 micrograms per liter), whereas two sites were essentially not contaminated, with total volatile organic compound concentrations less than or equal to 5 micrograms per liter.

Fine particle and organic vapor emissions from staged tests of an in-use aircraft engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Presto, Albert A.; Nguyen, Ngoc T.; Ranjan, Manish; Reeder, Aaron J.; Lipsky, Eric M.; Hennigan, Christopher J.; Miracolo, Marissa A.; Riemer, Daniel D.; Robinson, Allen L.

2011-07-01

Staged tests were conducted to measure the particle and vapor emissions from a CFM56-2B1 gas-turbine engine mounted on a KC-135T Stratotanker airframe at different engine loads. Exhaust was sampled using a rake inlet installed 1-m downstream of the engine exit plane of a parked and chocked aircraft and a dilution sampler and portable smog chamber were used to investigate the particulate matter (PM) emissions. Total fine PM mass emissions were highest at low (4%) and high (85%) load and lower at intermediate loads (7% and 30%). PM mass emissions at 4% load are dominated by organics, while at 85% load elemental carbon is dominant. Quantifying the primary organic aerosol (POA) emissions is complicated by substantial filter sampling artifacts. Partitioning experiments reveal that the majority of the POA is semivolatile; for example, the POA emission factor changed by a factor of two when the background organic aerosol concentration was increased from 0.7 to 4 μg m -3. Therefore, one cannot define a single non-volatile PM emission factor for aircraft exhaust. The gas- and particle-phase organic emissions were comprehensively characterized by analyzing canister, sorbent and filter samples with gas-chromatography/mass-spectrometry. Vapor-phase organic emissions are highest at 4% load and decrease with increasing load. Low-volatility organics (less volatile than a C 12n-alkane) contributed 10-20% of the total organic emissions. The low-volatility organic emissions contain signatures of unburned fuel and aircraft lubricating oil but are dominated by an unresolved complex mixture (UCM) of presumably branched and cyclic alkanes. Emissions at all loads contain more low-volatility organic vapors than POA; thus secondary organic aerosol formation in the aging plume will likely exceed POA emissions.

Comparative study on ambient ionization methods for direct analysis of navel orange tissues by mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Zhang, Hua; Bibi, Aisha; Lu, Haiyan; Han, Jing; Chen, Huanwen

2017-08-01

It is of sustainable interest to improve the sensitivity and selectivity of the ionization process, especially for direct analysis of complex samples without matrix separation. Herein, four ambient ionization methods including desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (DAPCI), heat-assisted desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (heat-assisted DAPCI), microwave plasma torch (MPT) and internal extractive electrospray ionization (iEESI) were employed for comparative analysis of the navel orange tissue samples by mass spectrometry. The volatile organic compounds (e.g. ethanol, vanillin, leaf alcohol and jasmine lactone) were successfully detected by non-heat-assisted DAPCI-MS, while semi-volatile organic compounds (e.g. 1-nonanol and ethyl nonanoate) together with low abundance of non-volatile organic compounds (e.g. sinensetin and nobiletin) were obtained by heat-assisted DAPCI-MS. Typical nonvolatile organic compounds [e.g. 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural and glucosan] were sensitively detected with MPT-MS. Compounds of high polarity (e.g. amino acids, alkaloids and sugars) were easily profiled with iEESI-MS. Our data showed that more analytes could be detected when more energy was delivered for the desorption ionization purpose; however, heat-sensitive analytes would not be detected once the energy input exceeded the dissociation barriers of the analytes. For the later cases, soft ionization methods such as iEESI were recommended to sensitively profile the bioanalytes of high polarity. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effect of temperature on the release of hexadecane from soil by thermal treatment.

PubMed

Merino, Jerónimo; Bucalá, Verónica

2007-05-08

A natural organic soil (2.5% of total organic carbon) was artificially contaminated with hexadecane, and thermally treated under an inert medium up to different final temperatures (150-800 degrees C) for 30 min to simulate ex situ thermal process conditions. The experiments were conducted using a complete organic soil, instead of the clays or isolated soil fractions that are commonly used. Neat and contaminated samples were separately heated to understand the impact of the soil itself and the contaminant in the release of volatiles. The soil quality as well as the quality and amount of volatile compounds generated during the process were monitored. More than 80-88% of the initial hexadecane content in the soil matrix was recovered in liquids traps after the thermal treatment, therefore the contaminant could be recovered for further recycling. The high amount of hexadecane collected without suffering chemical transformations indicated that the main mechanism for the hexadecane removal was evaporation. The analysis of the light gases released from contaminated samples indicated negligible or null hexadecane pyrolysis reaction rates, confirming that the evaporation/desorption of the contaminant are the processes that governed the removal of the contaminant from the soil. For the soil tested, of a relatively low surface area, good removal efficiencies (higher than 99.9%) were detected at about 300 degrees C, being higher temperatures not necessary to significantly improve the contamination removal.

77 FR 74115 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania; The 2002 Base Year...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-13

... ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ammonia (NH 3 ), and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ). EPA has reviewed the... , coarse particles (PM 10 ), nitrogen oxides (NO X ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ammonia (NH 3...

PERTURBATION OF VOLTAGE-SENSITIVE CALCIUM FUNCTION IN PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA CELLS BY VOLATILE ORGANIC SOLVENTS.

EPA Science Inventory

Volatile organic solvents such as toluene (TOL) and trichloroethylene perturb nervous system function and share characteristic effects with other central nervous system depressants such as anesthetic gasses, ethanol, benzodiazepines and barbiturates. Recently, mechanistic studies...

Control of postharvest Botrytis fruit rot of strawberry by volatile organic compounds of Candida intermedia.

PubMed

Huang, R; Li, G Q; Zhang, J; Yang, L; Che, H J; Jiang, D H; Huang, H C

2011-07-01

A study was conducted to identify volatile organic compounds or volatiles produced by Candida intermedia strain C410 using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and to determine efficacy of the volatiles of C. intermedia in suppression of conidial germination and mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea and control of Botrytis fruit rot of strawberry. Results showed that, among 49 volatiles (esters, alcohols, alkenes, alkanes, alkynes, organic acids, ketones, and aldehydes) identified from C. intermedia cultures on yeast extract peptone dextrose agar, two compounds, 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene and 3-methyl-1-butanol, were the most abundant. Synthetic chemicals of 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene; 3-methyl-1-butanol; 2-nonanone; pentanoic acid, 4-methyl-, ethyl ester; 3-methyl-1-butanol, acetate; acetic acid, pentyl ester; and hexanoic acid, ethyl ester were highly inhibitory to conidial germination and mycelial growth of B. cinerea. Inhibition of conidial germination and mycelial growth of B. cinerea by volatiles of C. intermedia was also observed. Meanwhile, results showed that incidence and severity of Botrytis fruit rot of strawberry was significantly (P < 0.01) reduced by exposure of the strawberry fruit to the volatiles from C. intermedia cultures or C. intermedia-infested strawberry fruit. These results suggest that the volatiles of C. intermedia C410 are promising biofumigants for control of Botrytis fruit rot of strawberry.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) mitigation in the pyrolysis process of waste tires using CO₂ as a reaction medium.

PubMed

Kwon, Eilhann E; Oh, Jeong-Ik; Kim, Ki-Hyun

2015-09-01

Our work reported the CO2-assisted mitigation of PAHs and VOCs in the thermo-chemical process (i.e., pyrolysis). To investigate the pyrolysis of used tires to recover energy and chemical products, the experiments were conducted using a laboratory-scale batch-type reactor. In particular, to examine the influence of the CO2 in pyrolysis of a tire, the pyrolytic products including C1-5-hydrocarbons (HCs), volatile organic carbons (VOCs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were evaluated qualitatively by gas chromatography (GC) with mass spectroscopy (MS) as well as with a thermal conductivity detector (TCD). The mass balance of the pyrolytic products under various pyrolytic conditions was established on the basis of their weight fractions of the pyrolytic products. Our experimental work experimentally validated that the amount of gaseous pyrolytic products increased when using CO2 as a pyrolysis medium, while substantially altering the production of pyrolytic oil in absolute content (7.3-17.2%) and in relative composition (including PAHs and VOCs). Thus, the co-feeding of CO2 in the pyrolysis process can be considered an environmentally benign and energy efficient process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and validation of a portable gas phase standard generation and calibration system for volatile organic compounds

Treesearch

P. Veres; J. B. Gilman; J. M. Roberts; W. C. Kuster; C. Warneke; I. R. Burling; J. de Gouw

2010-01-01

We report on the development of an accurate, portable, dynamic calibration system for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The Mobile Organic Carbon Calibration System (MOCCS) combines the production of gas-phase VOC standards using permeation or diffusion sources with quantitative total organic carbon (TOC) conversion on a palladium surface to CO2 in the presence of...

Method and apparatus for detection of chemical vapors

DOEpatents

Mahurin, Shannon Mark [Knoxville, TN; Dai, Sheng [Knoxville, TN; Caja, Josip [Knoxville, TN

2007-05-15

The present invention is a gas detector and method for using the gas detector for detecting and identifying volatile organic and/or volatile inorganic substances present in unknown vapors in an environment. The gas detector comprises a sensing means and a detecting means for detecting electrical capacitance variance of the sensing means and for further identifying the volatile organic and volatile inorganic substances. The sensing means comprises at least one sensing unit and a sensing material allocated therein the sensing unit. The sensing material is an ionic liquid which is exposed to the environment and is capable of dissolving a quantity of said volatile substance upon exposure thereto. The sensing means constitutes an electrochemical capacitor and the detecting means is in electrical communication with the sensing means.

Regulatory off-gas analysis from the evaporation of Hanford simulated waste spiked with organic compounds.

PubMed

Saito, Hiroshi H; Calloway, T Bond; Ferrara, Daro M; Choi, Alexander S; White, Thomas L; Gibson, Luther V; Burdette, Mark A

2004-10-01

After strontium/transuranics removal by precipitation followed by cesium/technetium removal by ion exchange, the remaining low-activity waste in the Hanford River Protection Project Waste Treatment Plant is to be concentrated by evaporation before being mixed with glass formers and vitrified. To provide a technical basis to permit the waste treatment facility, a relatively organic-rich Hanford Tank 241-AN-107 waste simulant was spiked with 14 target volatile, semi-volatile, and pesticide compounds and evaporated under vacuum in a bench-scale natural circulation evaporator fitted with an industrial stack off-gas sampler at the Savannah River National Laboratory. An evaporator material balance for the target organics was calculated by combining liquid stream mass and analytical data with off-gas emissions estimates obtained using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SW-846 Methods. Volatile and light semi-volatile organic compounds (<220 degrees C BP, >1 mm Hg vapor pressure) in the waste simulant were found to largely exit through the condenser vent, while heavier semi-volatiles and pesticides generally remain in the evaporator concentrate. An OLI Environmental Simulation Program (licensed by OLI Systems, Inc.) evaporator model successfully predicted operating conditions and the experimental distribution of the fed target organics exiting in the concentrate, condensate, and off-gas streams, with the exception of a few semi-volatile and pesticide compounds. Comparison with Henry's Law predictions suggests the OLI Environmental Simulation Program model is constrained by available literature data.

Ground-water quality beneath an urban residential and commercial area, Montgomery, Alabama, 1999-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, James L.

2002-01-01

The Black Warrior River aquifer, which is composed of the Coker, Gordo, and Eutaw Formations, supplies more than 50 percent of the ground water used for public water supply in the Mobile River Basin. The city of Montgomery, Alabama, is partially built upon a recharge area for the Black Warrior River aquifer, and is one of many major population centers that depend on the Black Warrior River aquifer for public water supply. To represent the baseline ground-water quality in the Black Warrior River aquifer, water samples were collected from 30 wells located in a low-density residential or rural setting; 9 wells were completed in the Coker Formation, 9 wells in the Gordo Formation, and 12 wells in the Eutaw Formation. To describe the ground-water quality beneath Montgomery, Alabama, water samples also were collected from 30 wells located in residential and commercial areas of Montgomery, Alabama; 16 wells were completed in the Eutaw Formation, 8 wells in alluvial deposits, and 6 wells in terrace deposits. The alluvial and terrace deposits directly overlie the Eutaw Formation with little or no hydraulic separation. Ground-water samples collected from both the rural and urban wells were analyzed for physical properties, major ions, nutrients, metals, volatile organic compounds, and pesticides. Samples from the urban wells also were analyzed for bacteria, chlorofluorocarbons, dissolved gases, and sulfur hexafluoride. Ground-water quality beneath the urban area was compared to baseline water quality in the Black Warrior River aquifer.Compared to the rural wells, ground-water samples from urban wells contained greater concentrations or more frequent detections of chloride and nitrate, and the trace metals aluminium, chromium, cobalt, copper, nickel, and zinc. Pesticides and volatile organic compounds were detected more frequently and in greater concentrations in ground-water samples collected from urban wells than in ground-water samples from rural wells.The Spearman rho test was used to check for statistically significant covariance among urban ground-water quality and land-use type. The number of pesticides and volatile organic compounds detected and concentrations of nickel increased as the percentage of residential land use increased. Greater nickel concentrations also were associated with a greater number of volatile organic compounds detected. As the percentage of commercial land use increased, the numbers of pesticides and volatile organic compounds detected decreased. The number of pesticides detected in the urban ground-water samples increased as concentrations of nitrite plus nitrate increased; the number of pesticides detected and the concentrations of nitrite plus nitrate decreased as the age of the ground water increased. These correlations may indicate that, with time, pesticides and nitrate are removed from the ground-water system by physical, chemical, or biological processes.The effects of surficial geology on the occurrence of pesticides and volatile organic compounds was investigated by calculating frequencies of detection. The detection frequency for pesticides was greater for urban samples collected from wells where the surficial geology is sand than for urban samples collected from wells where the surficial geology is clay. The frequency of detection of volatile organic compounds did not show this relation.

Volatile fatty acids production from anaerobic treatment of cassava waste water: effect of temperature and alkalinity.

PubMed

Hasan, Salah Din Mahmud; Giongo, Citieli; Fiorese, Mônica Lady; Gomes, Simone Damasceno; Ferrari, Tatiane Caroline; Savoldi, Tarcio Enrico

2015-01-01

The production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), intermediates in the anaerobic degradation process of organic matter from waste water, was evaluated in this work. A batch reactor was used to investigate the effect of temperature, and alkalinity in the production of VFAs, from the fermentation of industrial cassava waste water. Peak production of total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs) was observed in the first two days of acidogenesis. A central composite design was performed, and the highest yield (3400 mg L(-1) of TVFA) was obtained with 30°C and 3 g L(-1) of sodium bicarbonate. The peak of VFA was in 45 h (pH 5.9) with a predominance of acetic (63%) and butyric acid (22%), followed by propionic acid (12%). Decreases in amounts of cyanide (12.9%) and chemical oxygen demand (21.6%) were observed, in addition to the production of biogas (0.53 cm(3) h(-1)). The process was validated experimentally and 3400 g L(-1) of TVFA were obtained with a low relative standard deviation.

Hydrogeologic and chemical data for the O-Field area, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nemoff, P.R.; Vroblesky, D.A.

1989-01-01

O-Field, located at the Edgewood area of Aberdeen Proving Ground , Maryland, was periodically used for disposal of munitions, waste chemicals, and chemical-warfare agents from World War II through the 1950' s. This report includes various physical, geologic, chemical, and hydrologic data obtained from well-core, groundwater, surface water, and bottom-sediment sampling sites at and near the O-Field disposal area. The data are presented in tables and hydrographs. Three site-location maps are also included. Well-core data include lithologic logs for 11 well- cluster sites, grain-size distributions, various chemical characteristics, and confining unit characteristics. Groundwater data include groundwater chemistry, method blanks for volatile organic carbon, available data on volatile and base/neutral organics, and compilation of corresponding method blanks, chemical-warfare agents, explosive-related products, radionuclides, herbicides, and groundwater levels. Surface-water data include field-measured characteristics; concentrations of various inorganic constituents including arsenic; selected organic constituents with method blanks; detection limits of organics; and a compilation of information on corresponding acids, volatiles, and semivolatiles. Bottom- sediment data include inorganic properties and constituents; organic chemistry; detection limits for organic chemicals; a compilation of information on acids, volatiles, and semivolatiles; and method blanks corresponding to acids, volatiles, and semivolatiles. A set of 15 water- level hydrographs for the period March 1986 through September 1987 also is included in the report. (USGS)

76 FR 4534 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Maryland; Adoption of Control...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-26

... interior panels, exterior siding, and tileboard. A typical flat wood coating facility applies stains and..., Volatile Organic Compounds from Specific Processes. This action affects facilities that apply stains and... these emission limits: lb VOC per gallon material (grams Surface coatings, inks, or adhesives applied to...

Green materials prepared by using a green processing method: Plant oil-based polymers prepared in CO2 medium with mild conditions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recent efforts have been focused on the development of environmentally friendly replacements for volatile organic solvents. One promising candidate is supercritical carbon dioxide because of its low toxicity and no solvent residues in the final products. Renewed interest in biodegradable polymeric m...

TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT: SITE PROGRAM DEMONSTRATION TEST - ACCUTECH PNEUMATIC FRACTURING EXTRACTION AND HOT GAS INJECTION, PHASE 1 - VOLUME I

EPA Science Inventory

The Pneumatic Fracturing Extraction (PFE) process developed by Accutech Remedial Systems, Inc. makes it possible to use vapor extraction to remove volatile organics at increased rates from a broader range of vadose zones. The low permeability of silts, clays, shales, etc. would o...

Solid phase microextraction method development for measuring Henry's Law constants of formaldehyde in aqueous solutions

EPA Science Inventory

Formaldehyde (HCHO) has been of special concern as an indoor air pollutant because of its existence in a wide range of products and its adverse health effects. The air-water partitioning behavior of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde is an important process th...

Volatile Organic Compound and Particulate Emission Studies of AF (Air Force) Paint Booth Facilities. Phase 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-07-01

quantity of air which requires processing. Recirculation systems were designed for two of the painting facilities included in this study. In designing the...BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE .... ................ .... 57 B. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS .... ............... .... 58 1. Safety Standards .......... ............... 58...65 5. Conceptual Design .... ................ ... 68 V CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............... .. 72 A. CONCLUSIONS

Production of poly(hydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate) from waste organics by the two-stage process: focus on the intermediate volatile fatty acids.

PubMed

Shen, Liang; Hu, Hongyou; Ji, Hongfang; Cai, Jiyuan; He, Ning; Li, Qingbiao; Wang, Yuanpeng

2014-08-01

The two-stage process, coupling volatile fatty acids (VFAs) fermentation and poly(hydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate) (P(HB/HV)) biosynthesis, was investigated for five waste organic materials. The overall conversion efficiencies were glycerol>starch>molasses>waste sludge>protein, meanwhile the maximum P(HB/HV) (1.674 g/L) was obtained from waste starch. Altering the waste type brought more effects on VFAs composition other than the yield in the first stage, which in turn greatly changed the yield in the second stage. Further study showed that even-number carbon VFAs (or odd-number ones) had a good positive linear relationship with P(HB/HV) content of HB (or HV). Additionally, VFA producing microbiota was analyzed by pyrosequencing methods for five wastes, which indicated that specific species (e.g., Lactobacillus for protein; Ethanoligenens for starch; Ruminococcus and Limnobacter for glycerol) were dominant in the community for VFAs production. Potential competition among acidogenic bacteria specially involved to produce some VFA was proposed as well. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pre-aeration of food waste to augment acidogenic process at higher organic load: Valorizing biohydrogen, volatile fatty acids and biohythane.

PubMed

Sarkar, Omprakash; Venkata Mohan, S

2017-10-01

Application of pre-aeration (AS) to waste prior to feeding was evaluated on acidogenic process in a semi-pilot scale biosystem for the production of biobased products (biohydrogen, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and biohythane) from food waste. Oxygen assisted in pre-hydrolysis of waste along with the suppression of methanogenic activity resulting in enhanced acidogenic product formation. AS operation resulted in 97% improvement in hydrogen conversion efficiency (HCE) and 10% more VFA production than the control. Increasing the organic load (OL) of food waste in association with AS application improved the productivity. The application of AS also influenced concentration and composition of fatty acid. Highest fraction of acetic (5.3g/l), butyric (0.7g/l) and propionic acid (0.84g/l) was achieved at higher OL (100g COD/l) with good degree of acidification (DOA). AS strategy showed positive influence on biofuel (biohydrogen and biohythane) production along with the biosynthesis of short chain fatty acids functioning as a low-cost pretreatment strategy in a single stage bioprocess. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Zeolite based microconcentrators for volatile organic compounds sensing at trace-level: fabrication and performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almazán, Fernando; Pellejero, Ismael; Morales, Alberto; Urbiztondo, Miguel A.; Sesé, Javier; Pina, M. Pilar; Santamaría, Jesús

2016-08-01

A novel 6-step microfabrication process is proposed in this work to prepare microfluidic devices with integrated zeolite layers. In particular, microfabricated preconcentrators designed for volatile organic compounds (VOC) sensing applications are fully described. The main novelty of this work is the integration of the pure siliceous MFI type zeolite (silicalite-1) polycrystalline layer, i.e. 4.0  ±  0.5 μm thick, as active phase, within the microfabrication process just before the anodic bonding step. Following this new procedure, Si microdevices with an excellent distribution of the adsorbent material, integrated resistive heaters and Pyrex caps have been obtained. Firstly, the microconcentrator performance has been assessed by means of the normal hexane breakthrough curves as a function of sampling and desorption flowrates, temperature and micropreconcentrator design. In a step further, the best preconcentrator device has been tested in combination with downstream Si based microcantilevers deployed as VOC detectors. Thus, a preliminar evaluation of the improvement on detection sensitivity by silicalite-1 based microconcentrators is presented.

77 FR 60626 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Virginia; The 2002 Base Year...

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... nitrogen oxides (NO X ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PM 2.5 , coarse particles (PM 10 ), ammonia (NH... X ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PM 2.5 , coarse particles (PM 10 ), ammonia (NH 3 ), and...

77 FR 61513 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Maryland; The 2002 Base Year...

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2012-10-10

... X ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PM 2.5 , coarse particles (PM 10 ), ammonia (NH 3 ), and... oxides (NO X ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PM 2.5 , coarse particles (PM 10 ), ammonia (NH 3...

78 FR 46141 - Approval and Disapproval of Air Quality State Implementation Plans; Arizona; Regional Haze and...

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2013-07-30

... volatile organic compounds. (42) The initials WRAP mean or refer to the Western Regional Air Partnership... sources of NO X, SO 2 or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or on point sources [[Page 46144

78 FR 38648 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; State of New Jersey; Redesignation...

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2013-06-27

... ) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) that were submitted as part of the supplement, in conjunction...] that volatile organic compounds and NH 3 are not PM 2.5 precursors, as subpart 4 expressly governs...

78 FR 37973 - Change of Address for Region 7; Technical Correction

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2013-06-25

... recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur oxides, Volatile organic compounds. 40 CFR Part 59 Environmental protection... requirements, Volatile organic compounds. 40 CFR Part 60 Environmental protection, Administrative practice and..., Cement industry, Chemicals, Coal, Copper, Dry cleaners, Electric power plants, Fertilizers, Fluoride...

40 CFR 59.106 - Variance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSION STANDARDS FOR CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Automobile Refinish Coatings § 59.106 Variance. (a) Any regulated entity... confidential information in reaching a decision on a variance application. Interested members of the public...

40 CFR 59.512 - Addresses of EPA regional offices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (CONTINUED) NATIONAL VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSION STANDARDS FOR CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Aerosol Coatings § 59.512 Addresses of EPA..., Air Pesticides and Toxics, Management Division, Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth Street, SW...

40 CFR 59.512 - Addresses of EPA regional offices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... (CONTINUED) NATIONAL VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSION STANDARDS FOR CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Aerosol Coatings § 59.512 Addresses of EPA..., Air Pesticides and Toxics, Management Division, Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth Street, SW...

40 CFR 59.512 - Addresses of EPA regional offices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... (CONTINUED) NATIONAL VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSION STANDARDS FOR CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Aerosol Coatings § 59.512 Addresses of EPA..., Air Pesticides and Toxics, Management Division, Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth Street, SW...

40 CFR 59.512 - Addresses of EPA regional offices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (CONTINUED) NATIONAL VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSION STANDARDS FOR CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Aerosol Coatings § 59.512 Addresses of EPA..., Air Pesticides and Toxics, Management Division, Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth Street, SW...

IMPROVEMENT IN AIR TOXICS METHODS FOR VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

Innovative and customized monitoring methods for air toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are being developed for applications in exposure and trends monitoring. This task addresses the following applications of specific interest:

o Contributions to EPA Regional Monit...

DETERMINATION OF SORPTION PARAMETERS FOR 36 VOC/MATERIAL COMBINATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

EPA's Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division is currently investigating sorptive interactions (sink effects) of volatile organic compounds and semi-volatile organic compounds when exposed to common indoor surface materials. The objective is to recommend the best sink mode...

FACTORS CONTROLLING THE EMISSIONS OF MONOTERPENES AND OTHER VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

Plants contain a number of volatile organic compounds, including isoprene, mono- and sesquiterpenes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and esters. ndividual plant species have unique combinations of these compounds; consequently, the emission pattern for each species is also specific...

40 CFR 59.412 - Incorporations by reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... (CONTINUED) NATIONAL VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSION STANDARDS FOR CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Architectural Coatings § 59.412 Incorporations by... 19428-2959. (1) ASTM Method C 1315-95, Standard Specification for Liquid Membrane-Forming Compounds...

40 CFR 59.412 - Incorporations by reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (CONTINUED) NATIONAL VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSION STANDARDS FOR CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Architectural Coatings § 59.412 Incorporations by... 19428-2959. (1) ASTM Method C 1315-95, Standard Specification for Liquid Membrane-Forming Compounds...

Modeling study of secondary organic aerosol in winter in China using NAQPMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, W.; Li, J.

2017-12-01

The concentration of organic aerosol (OA) in the central and eastern China is much higher than that in Europe and America. Compared with the observation, the current numerical modeling studies largely underestimated the concentration of OA, especially the secondary component. Based on the volatility basis set framework, a secondary organic aerosol (SOA) module was developed, which considering the multi-generation oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile POA and intermediate volatility organic compounds (IVOCs). The newly developed SOA module was coupled into the NAQPMS, and the performance of the simulation was validated by the observation with high temporal resolution. In wintertime, the OA concentration in the central and eastern China was maintained above 15-20 μg·m-3, and SOA accounted for 50-65% of OA concentration. The OA concentration even reached 40 μg·m-3 in the provinces emitting most pollutants (such as Hunan, Hubei, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shandong and Hubei province). IVOCs were important precursors of SOA in China, and could reduce the great discrepancy between simulation and observation. In wintertime, the contribution from IVOCs accounted for 60-80% of SOA formation. The aging of semi-volatile POA had less impact on the SOA formation, which maintained only 2-8% over central and eastern China.

Distribution of volatile organic compounds over a semiconductor Industrial Park in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chiu, Kong-Hwa; Wu, Ben-Zen; Chang, Chih-Chung; Sree, Usha; Lo, Jiunn-Guang

2005-02-15

This study examined volatile organic compounds (VOC) concentration in ambient air collected during the years 2000--2003 at several different locations of Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park (HSIP) in Taiwan. A canister automated GC-MS system analyzed the volatile organics in ambient air grasp samples according to T0-15 method. Oxygenated volatiles were the most abundant VOC detected in HSIP followed by aromatics that are commonly used as solvents in the semiconductor industries. The major components measured in the ambient air are 2-propanol (29-135 ppbv), acetone (12-164 ppbv), benzene (0.7-1.7 ppbv), and toluene (13-20 ppbv). At some of the sampling locations, odorous compounds such as carbon disulfide and dimethyl sulfide levels exceed threshold values. The estimated toluene/benzene ratio is very high at most of the sites. However, the total amount of VOC is reduced over the years from 2000 to 2003 due to strict implementation on use and discharge of solvents in industries. There exists no definite seasonal pattern for sporadic occurrence of high levels of some of the volatile organics. Stagnant weather conditions with low wind speeds aid accumulation of toxic species at ground level. The results entail that hi-tech semiconductor industries are still a potential source for harmful organic substances to surrounding microenvironment.

A chemometrics as a powerful tool in the elucidation of the role of metals in the biosynthesis of volatile organic compounds in Hungarian thyme samples.

PubMed

Arsenijević, Jelena; Marković, Jelena; Soštarić, Ivan; Ražić, Slavica

2013-10-01

The volatile fraction of the leaves of Thymus pannonicus All. (Lamiaceae) was analyzed by headspace extraction followed by GC-FID and GC-MS analysis. The different headspace profiles were recognized, with citral and with monoterpene hydrocarbons as dominant compounds. In addition, the determination of Cr, Co, Ni, Mo, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Mg, Ca, K and Na was conducted by spectroscopic techniques (FAAS, GFAAS and ICP-OES). In order to evaluate the relationship between volatile organic compounds and metals, a chemometrics approach was applied. The data obtained by analysis of the headspace and elemental content were subjected to correlation analysis, factor analysis, principal component analysis and cluster analysis. A number of significant correlations of metals with plant volatiles were found. Correlation of Zn with citral, Mn with oxygenated monoterpenes and Mg with β-bourbonene, could be explained by involvement of metals in the biosynthesis of volatile organic compounds. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Real-time and online screening method for materials emitting volatile organic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Changhyuk; Sul, Yong Tae; Pui, David Y. H.

2016-09-01

In the semiconductor industry, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the cleanroom air work as airborne molecular contamination, which reduce the production yield of semiconductor chips by forming nanoparticles and haze on silicon wafers and photomasks under ultraviolet irradiation during photolithography processes. Even though VOCs in outdoor air are removed by gas filters, VOCs can be emitted from many kinds of materials used in cleanrooms, such as organic solvents and construction materials (e.g., adhesives, flame retardants and sealants), threatening the production of semiconductors. Therefore, finding new replacements that emit lower VOCs is now essential in the semiconductor industry. In this study, we developed a real-time and online method to screen materials for developing the replacements by converting VOCs into nanoparticles under soft X-ray irradiation. This screening method was applied to measure VOCs emitted from different kinds of organic solvents and adhesives. Our results showed good repeatability and high sensitivity for VOCs, which come from aromatic compounds, some alcohols and all tested adhesives (Super glue and cleanroom-use adhesives). In addition, the overall trend of measured VOCs from cleanroom-use adhesives was well matched with those measured by a commercial thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, which is a widely used off-line method for analyzing VOCs. Based on the results, this screening method can help accelerate the developing process for reducing VOCs in cleanrooms.

Ecology of plant volatiles: taking a plant community perspective.

PubMed

Pierik, Ronald; Ballaré, Carlos L; Dicke, Marcel

2014-08-01

Although plants are sessile organisms, they can modulate their phenotype so as to cope with environmental stresses such as herbivore attack and competition with neighbouring plants. Plant-produced volatile compounds mediate various aspects of plant defence. The emission of volatiles has costs and benefits. Research on the role of plant volatiles in defence has focused primarily on the responses of individual plants. However, in nature, plants rarely occur as isolated individuals but are members of plant communities where they compete for resources and exchange information with other plants. In this review, we address the effects of neighbouring plants on plant volatile-mediated defences. We will outline the various roles of volatile compounds in the interactions between plants and other organisms, address the mechanisms of plant neighbour perception in plant communities, and discuss how neighbour detection and volatile signalling are interconnected. Finally, we will outline the most urgent questions to be addressed in the future. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Assessing the sensitivity of benzene cluster cation chemical ionization mass spectrometry toward a wide array of biogenic volatile organic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavi, Avi; Vermeuel, Michael; Novak, Gordon; Bertram, Timothy

2017-04-01

Chemical ionization mass spectrometry is a real-time, sensitive and selective measurement technique for the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The benefits of CIMS technology make it highly suitable for field measurements that requires fast (10Hz and higher) response rates, such as the study of surface-atmosphere exchange processes by the eddy covariance method. The use of benzene cluster cations as a regent ion was previously demonstrated as a sensitive and selective method for the detection of select biogenic VOCs (e.g. isoprene, monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes) [Kim et al., 2016; Leibrock and Huey, 2000]. Quantitative analysis of atmospheric trace gases necessitates calibration for each analyte as a function of atmospheric conditions. We describe a custom designed calibration system, based on liquid evaporation, for determination of the sensitivity of the benzene-CIMS to a wide range of organic compounds at atmospherically relevant mixing ratios (<200 ppt). We report on the effect of atmospheric water vapor and oxygen concentrations on instrument response for isoprene and a wide range of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. To gain mechanistic insight into the ion-molecule reactions and the role of water vapor and oxygen, we compare our measured sensitivities with a computational analysis of the charge distribution between the analyte, reagent ion and water molecules in the gas phase. These parameters provide insight on the ionization mechanism and provide parameters for quantification of organic molecules measured during field campaigns. References Kim, M. J., M. C. Zoerb, N. R. Campbell, K. J. Zimmermann, B. W. Blomquist, B. J. Huebert, and T. H. Bertram (2016), Revisiting benzene cluster cations for the chemical ionization of dimethyl sulfide and select volatile organic compounds, Atmos Meas Tech, 9(4), 1473-1484, doi:10.5194/amt-9-1473-2016. Leibrock, E., and L. G. Huey (2000), Ion chemistry for the detection of isoprene and other volatile organic compounds in ambient air, Geophys Res Lett, 27(12), 1719-1722, doi:Doi 10.1029/1999gl010804.

40 CFR 52.970 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... FR 54308 Ref 52.999(c)(66) Chapter 21—Control of Emissions of Organic Compounds Subchapter A General... Storage of Volatile Organic Compounds (Large Tanks) Dec. 1995, LR21:1333 10/22/96, 61 FR 54737 Ref 52.999(c)(71)(E)(F)(G) Section 2105 Storage of Volatile Organic Components (Small Tanks) NOT IN SIP Section...

Cost Effective, Ultra Sensitive Groundwater Monitoring for Site Remediation and Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-01

feasibility studies. ................... 30  Table 5. Compounds screened in the laboratory for IS2 sampling...tank SVOC semivolatile organic compound TCE trichloroethene TPH total petroleum hydrocarbon USEPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency UST...underground storage tank V volt VOA volatile organic analysis VOC volatile organic compound Technical material contained in this report has

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS COLLECTED WITH A PASSIVE SAMPLER (BCO-L-17.1)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to describe the methodology used for the analysis of the 3M OVM 3500 Organic Vapor Monitors for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), using solvent extraction and standard gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis procedures. This procedure was...

Large increases in Arctic biogenic volatile emissions are a direct effect of warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kramshøj, Magnus; Vedel-Petersen, Ida; Schollert, Michelle; Rinnan, Åsmund; Nymand, Josephine; Ro-Poulsen, Helge; Rinnan, Riikka

2016-05-01

Biogenic volatile organic compounds are reactive gases that can contribute to atmospheric aerosol formation. Their emission from vegetation is dependent on temperature and light availability. Increasing temperature, changing cloud cover and shifting composition of vegetation communities can be expected to affect emissions in the Arctic, where the ongoing climate changes are particularly severe. Here we present biogenic volatile organic compound emission data from Arctic tundra exposed to six years of experimental warming or reduced sunlight treatment in a randomized block design. By separately assessing the emission response of the whole ecosystem, plant shoots and soil in four measurements covering the growing season, we have identified that warming increased the emissions directly rather than via a change in the plant biomass and species composition. Warming caused a 260% increase in total emission rate for the ecosystem and a 90% increase in emission rates for plants, while having no effect on soil emissions. Compared to the control, reduced sunlight decreased emissions by 69% for the ecosystem, 61-65% for plants and 78% for soil. The detected strong emission response is considerably higher than observed at more southern latitudes, emphasizing the high temperature sensitivity of ecosystem processes in the changing Arctic.

Determination of volatile organic compounds in human breath for Helicobacter pylori detection by SPME-GC/MS.

PubMed

Ulanowska, Agnieszka; Kowalkowski, Tomasz; Hrynkiewicz, Katarzyna; Jackowski, Marek; Buszewski, Bogusław

2011-03-01

Helicobacter pylori living in the human stomach release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be detected in expired air. The aim of the study was the application of breath analysis for bacteria detection. It was accomplished by determination of VOCs characteristic for patients with H. pylori and the analysis of gases released by bacteria in suspension. Solid-phase microextraction was applied as a selective technique for preconcentration and isolation of analytes. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was used for the separation and identification of volatile analytes in breath samples and bacterial headspace. For data calculation and processing, discriminant and factor analyses were used. Endogenous substances such as isobutane, 2-butanone and ethyl acetate were detected in the breath of persons with H. pylori in the stomach and in the gaseous mixture released by the bacteria strain but they were not identified in the breath of healthy volunteers. The canonical analysis of discrimination functions showed a strong difference between the three examined groups. Knowledge of substances emitted by H. pylori with the application of an optimized breath analysis method might become a very useful tool for noninvasive detection of this bacterium. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Unraveling the chemical complexity of biomass burning VOC emissions via H3O+ ToF-CIMS (PTR-ToF): emissions characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koss, A.; Sekimoto, K.; Gilman, J.; Selimovic, V.; Coggon, M.; Zarzana, K. J.; Yuan, B.; Lerner, B. M.; Brown, S. S.; Jimenez, J. L.; Krechmer, J. E.; Warneke, C.; Yokelson, R. J.; De Gouw, J. A.

2017-12-01

Gas-phase biomass burning emissions can include hundreds, if not thousands, of unique volatile and intermediate-volatility organic compounds. It is crucial to know the composition of these emissions to understand secondary organic aerosol formation, ozone formation, and human health effects resulting from fires. However, the composition can vary greatly with fuel type and fire combustion process. During the FIREX 2016 laboratory intensive at the US Forest Service Fire Sciences Laboratory in Missoula, Montana, high-resolution H3O+-CIMS (PTR-ToF) was deployed to characterize VOC emissions. More than 500 ion masses were consistently enhanced in each of 58 fires, which included a wide variety of fuel types representative of the western United States. Using a combination of extensive literature review, H3O+ and NO+ CIMS with GC preseparation, comparison to other instruments, and mass spectral context, we were able to identify the VOC contributors to 90% of the instrument signal. This provides unprecedented chemical detail in high time resolution. We present chemical characteristics of emissions, including OH reactivity and volatility, and highlight areas where better identification is needed.

A Compendium of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Released By Human Cell Lines

PubMed Central

Filipiak, Wojciech; Mochalski, Pawel; Filipiak, Anna; Ager, Clemens; Cumeras, Raquel; Davis, Cristina E.; Agapiou, Agapios; Unterkofler, Karl; Troppmair, Jakob

2016-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) offer unique insights into ongoing biochemical processes in healthy and diseased humans. Yet, their diagnostic use is hampered by the limited understanding of their biochemical or cellular origin and their frequently unclear link to the underlying diseases. Major advancements are expected from the analyses of human primary cells, cell lines and cultures of microorganisms. In this review, a database of 125 reliably identified VOCs previously reported for human healthy and diseased cells was assembled and their potential origin is discussed. The majority of them have also been observed in studies with other human matrices (breath, urine, saliva, feces, blood, skin emanations). Moreover, continuing improvements of qualitative and quantitative analyses, based on the recommendations of the ISO-11843 guidelines, are suggested for the necessary standardization of analytical procedures and better comparability of results. The data provided contribute to arriving at a more complete human volatilome and suggest potential volatile biomarkers for future validation. Dedication: This review is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Dr. Anton Amann, who sadly passed away on January 6, 2015. He was motivator and motor for the field of breath research. PMID:27160536

Phase partitioning and volatility of secondary organic aerosol components formed from α-pinene ozonolysis and OH oxidation: the importance of accretion products and other low volatility compounds

DOE PAGES

Lopez-Hilfiker, F. D.; Mohr, C.; Ehn, M.; ...

2015-07-16

We measured a large suite of gas- and particle-phase multi-functional organic compounds with a Filter Inlet for Gases and AEROsols (FIGAERO) coupled to a high-resolution time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-CIMS) developed at the University of Washington. The instrument was deployed on environmental simulation chambers to study monoterpene oxidation as a secondary organic aerosol (SOA) source. We focus here on results from experiments utilizing an ionization method most selective towards acids (acetate negative ion proton transfer), but our conclusions are based on more general physical and chemical properties of the SOA. Hundreds of compounds were observed in both gas andmore » particle phases, the latter being detected by temperature-programmed thermal desorption of collected particles. Particulate organic compounds detected by the FIGAERO–HR-ToF-CIMS are highly correlated with, and explain at least 25–50 % of, the organic aerosol mass measured by an Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS). Reproducible multi-modal structures in the thermograms for individual compounds of a given elemental composition reveal a significant SOA mass contribution from high molecular weight organics and/or oligomers (i.e., multi-phase accretion reaction products). Approximately 50 % of the HR-ToF-CIMS particle-phase mass is associated with compounds having effective vapor pressures 4 or more orders of magnitude lower than commonly measured monoterpene oxidation products. The relative importance of these accretion-type and other extremely low volatility products appears to vary with photochemical conditions. We present a desorption-temperature-based framework for apportionment of thermogram signals into volatility bins. The volatility-based apportionment greatly improves agreement between measured and modeled gas-particle partitioning for select major and minor components of the SOA, consistent with thermal decomposition during desorption causing the conversion of lower volatility components into the detected higher volatility compounds.« less

Phase partitioning and volatility of secondary organic aerosol components formed from α-pinene ozonolysis and OH oxidation: the importance of accretion products and other low volatility compounds

DOE PAGES

Lopez-Hilfiker, F. D.; Mohr, C.; Ehn, M.; ...

2015-02-18

We measured a large suite of gas and particle phase multi-functional organic compounds with a Filter Inlet for Gases and AEROsols (FIGAERO) coupled to a high-resolution time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-CIMS) developed at the University of Washington. The instrument was deployed on environmental simulation chambers to study monoterpene oxidation as a secondary organic aerosol (SOA) source. We focus here on results from experiments utilizing an ionization method most selective towards acids (acetate negative ion proton transfer), but our conclusions are based on more general physical and chemical properties of the SOA. Hundreds of compounds were observed in both gasmore » and particle phases, the latter being detected upon temperature programmed thermal desorption of collected particles. Particulate organic compounds detected by the FIGAERO HR-ToF-CIMS are highly correlated with, and explain at least 25–50% of, the organic aerosol mass measured by an Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS). Reproducible multi-modal structures in the thermograms for individual compounds of a given elemental composition reveal a significant SOA mass contribution from large molecular weight organics and/or oligomers (i.e. multi-phase accretion reaction products). Approximately 50% of the HR-ToF-CIMS particle phase mass is associated with compounds having effective vapor pressures 4 or more orders of magnitude lower than commonly measured monoterpene oxidation products. The relative importance of these accretion-type and other extremely low volatility products appears to vary with photochemical conditions. We present a desorption temperature based framework for apportionment of thermogram signals into volatility bins. The volatility-based apportionment greatly improves agreement between measured and modeled gas–particle partitioning for select major and minor components of the SOA, consistent with thermal decomposition during desorption causing the conversion of lower volatility components into the detected higher volatility compounds.« less

Photodecomposition of volatile organic compounds using TiO2 nanoparticles.

PubMed

Jwo, Ching-Song; Chang, Ho; Kao, Mu-Jnug; Lin, Chi-Hsiang

2007-06-01

This study examined the photodecomposition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using TiO2 catalyst fabricated by the Submerged Arc Nanoparticle Synthesis System (SANSS). TiO2 catalyst was employed to decompose volatile organic compounds and compare with Degussa-P25 TiO2 in terms of decomposition efficiency. In the electric discharge manufacturing process, a Ti bar, applied as the electrode, was melted and vaporized under high temperature. The vaporized Ti powders were then rapidly quenched under low-temperature and low-pressure conditions in deionized water, thus nucleating and forming nanocrystalline powders uniformly dispersed in the base solvent. The average diameter of the TiO2 nanoparticles was 20 nm. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the nanoparticles in the deionized water were Anatase type TiO2. It was found that gaseous toluene exposed to UV irradiation produced intermediates that were even harder to decompose. After 60-min photocomposition, Degussa-P25 TiO2 reduced the concentration of gaseous toluene to 8.18% while the concentration after decomposition by SANSS TiO2 catalyst dropped to 0.35%. Under UV irradiation at 253.7 +/- 184.9 nm, TiO2 prepared by SANSS can produce strong chemical debonding energy, thus showing great efficiency, superior to that of Degussa-P25 TiO2, in decomposing gaseous toluene and its intermediates.

77 FR 73544 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; West Virginia; The 2002 Base Year...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-11

... nitrogen oxides (NO X ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PM 2.5 , coarse particles (PM 10 ), ammonia (NH... oxides (NO X ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PM 2.5 , coarse particles (PM 10 ), ammonia (NH 3...

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCS) CHAPTER 31.

EPA Science Inventory

The term "volatile organic compounds' (VOCs) was originally coined to refer, as a class, to carbon-containing chemicals that participate in photochemical reactions in the ambient (outdoor) are. The regulatory definition of VOCs used by the U.S. EPA is: Any compound of carbon, ex...

MICROBIAL VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSION RATES AND EXPOSURE MODEL

EPA Science Inventory

This paper presents the results from a study that examined microbial volatile organic compound (MVOC) emissions from six fungi and one bacterial species (Streptomyces spp.) commonly found in indoor environments. Data are presented on peak emission rates from inoculated agar plate...

REGIONAL METHODS INITIATIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS AT HEASD

EPA Science Inventory

EPA Regional Laboratories are currently using high volume samplers with a combination of filter and sorbent vapor trap to collect large volume samples (250 liter/min for 24 hours) of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and non-volatile organic compounds (NVOCs). These are su...

PERTURBATION OF VOLTAGE-SENSITIVE Ca2+ CHANNEL FUNCTION BY VOLATILE ORGANIC SOLVENTS.

EPA Science Inventory

The mechanisms underlying the acute neurophysiological and behavioral effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) remain to be elucidated. However, the function of neuronal ion channels is perturbed by VOCs. The present study examined effects of toluene (TOL), trichloroethylene ...

IMPROVED METHOD FOR THE STORAGE OF GROUND WATER SAMPLES CONTAINING VOLATILE ORGANIC ANALYTES

EPA Science Inventory

The sorption of volatile organic analytes from water samples by the Teflon septum surface used with standard glass 40-ml sample collection vials was investigated. Analytes tested included alkanes, isoalkanes, olefins, cycloalkanes, a cycloalkene, monoaromatics, a polynuclear arom...

MODELING OF MULTICOMPONENT PERVAPORATION FOR REMOVAL OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM WATER

EPA Science Inventory

A resistance-in-series model was used to study the pervaporation of multiple volatile organic compounds (VOCs)-water mixtures. Permeation experiments were carried out for four membranes: poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), polyether-block-polyamides (PEBA), polyurethane (PUR) and sil...

40 CFR 59.206 - Variances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSION STANDARDS FOR CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Consumer Products § 59.206 Variances. (a) Any regulated entity who cannot... reaching a decision on a variance application. Interested members of the public will be allowed a...

Volatile Organic Sulfur Compounds of Environmental Interest: Dimethyl Sulfide and Methanethiol

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chasteen, Thomas G.; Bentley, Ronald

2004-01-01

Volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) have been assigned environmental roles in global warming, acid precipitation, and cloud formation where two important members dimethyl sulfide (CH3)2 S, DMS, and methanethiol, CH3SH, MT, of VOSC group are involved.

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS MEASURED IN DEARS PASSIVE SAMPLERS

EPA Science Inventory

A suite of 27 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were monitored in personal exposures, indoors and outdoors of participant's residences, and at a central community site during the DEARS summer 2004 monitoring season. The list of VOCs focused on compounds typically associated with ...

40 CFR 59.102 - Standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSION STANDARDS FOR CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS National Volatile Organic... § 59.106 of this subpart, any coating resulting from the mixing instructions of a regulated entity must... § 59.104(a). (b) Different combinations or mixing ratios of coating components constitute different...

SUPERCRITICAL FLUID EXTRACTION OF SEMI-VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM PARTICLES

EPA Science Inventory

A nitrogen oxide flux chamber was modified to measure the flux of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). Part of the modification involved the development of methods to extract SVOCs from polyurethane foam (PUF), sand, and soil. Breakthroughs and extraction efficiencies were ...

LEAVES AS INDICATORS OF EXPOSURE TO AIRBORNE VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

The concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in leaves is primarily a product of airborne exposures and dependent upon bioconcentration factors and release rates. The bioconcentration factors for VOCs in grass are found to be related to their partitioning between octan...

Language of plants: Where is the word?

PubMed

Šimpraga, Maja; Takabayashi, Junji; Holopainen, Jarmo K

2016-04-01

Plants emit biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) causing transcriptomic, metabolomic and behavioral responses in receiver organisms. Volatiles involved in such responses are often called "plant language". Arthropods having sensitive chemoreceptors can recognize language released by plants. Insect herbivores, pollinators and natural enemies respond to composition of volatiles from plants with specialized receptors responding to different types of compounds. In contrast, the mechanism of how plants "hear" volatiles has remained obscured. In a plant-plant communication, several individually emitted compounds are known to prime defense response in receiver plants with a specific manner according to the chemical structure of each volatile compound. Further, composition and ratio of volatile compounds in the plant-released plume is important in plant-insect and plant-plant interactions mediated by plant volatiles. Studies on volatile-mediated plant-plant signaling indicate that the signaling distances are rather short, usually not longer than one meter. Volatile communication from plants to insects such as pollinators could be across distances of hundreds of meters. As many of the herbivore induced VOCs have rather short atmospheric life times, we suggest that in long-distant communications with plant volatiles, reaction products in the original emitted compounds may have additional information value of the distance to emission source together with the original plant-emitted compounds. © 2015 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Differential Profiling of Volatile Organic Compound Biomarker Signatures Utilizing a Logical Statistical Filter-Set and Novel Hybrid Evolutionary Classifiers

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-01

for automated SPME headspace sampling and in-line with a Thermo DSQII single quadrupole mass spectrometer. Collection of organic volatiles from the...urine was accomplished using a 2cm CAR/DVB/PDMS solid phase micro extraction fiber ( SPME ), Supelco supplier, inserted by the Triplus autosampler into...automated direct injection. Volatiles gathered by the SPME fiber were analyzed through desorption of the fiber by heating to elevated temperature and

Uncertainty in aerosol hygroscopicity resulting from semi-volatile organic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goulden, Olivia; Crooks, Matthew; Connolly, Paul

2018-01-01

We present a novel method of exploring the effect of uncertainties in aerosol properties on cloud droplet number using existing cloud droplet activation parameterisations. Aerosol properties of a single involatile particle mode are randomly sampled within an uncertainty range and resulting maximum supersaturations and critical diameters calculated using the cloud droplet activation scheme. Hygroscopicity parameters are subsequently derived and the values of the mean and uncertainty are found to be comparable to experimental observations. A recently proposed cloud droplet activation scheme that includes the effects of co-condensation of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) onto a single lognormal mode of involatile particles is also considered. In addition to the uncertainties associated with the involatile particles, concentrations, volatility distributions and chemical composition of the SVOCs are randomly sampled and hygroscopicity parameters are derived using the cloud droplet activation scheme. The inclusion of SVOCs is found to have a significant effect on the hygroscopicity and contributes a large uncertainty. For non-volatile particles that are effective cloud condensation nuclei, the co-condensation of SVOCs reduces their actual hygroscopicity by approximately 25 %. A new concept of an effective hygroscopicity parameter is introduced that can computationally efficiently simulate the effect of SVOCs on cloud droplet number concentration without direct modelling of the organic compounds. These effective hygroscopicities can be as much as a factor of 2 higher than those of the non-volatile particles onto which the volatile organic compounds condense.

Aerosol volatility in a boreal forest environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Häkkinen, S. A. K.; ńijälä, M.; Lehtipalo, K.; Junninen, H.; Virkkula, A.; Worsnop, D. R.; Kulmala, M.; Petäjä, T.; Riipinen, I.

2012-04-01

Climate and health effects of atmospheric aerosols are determined by their properties such as their chemical composition. Aerosol chemical composition can be studied indirectly by measuring volatility of aerosol particles. The volatility of submicron aerosol particles (20-500 nm) was studied in a boreal forest site at SMEAR II (Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations II) station (Vesala et al., 1998) in Hyytiälä, Finland, during 01/2008-05/2010. The instrument used for the measurements was VDMPS (Volatility Differential Mobility Particle Sizer), which consists of two separate instruments: DMPS (Differential Mobility Particle Sizer, Aalto et al., 2001) and TD (Thermodenuder, Wehner et al., 2002). Aerosol evaporation was examined by heating the aerosol and comparing the total aerosol mass before and after heating. In the VDMPS system ambient aerosol sample was heated up to temperatures ranging from 80 °C to 280 °C. The higher the heating temperature was the more aerosol material was evaporated. There was a non-volatile residual present in aerosol particles when heated up to 280 °C. This residual explained (20±8)% of the total aerosol mass. Aerosol non-volatile mass fraction was highest during winter and smallest during summer months. The role of black carbon in the observed non-volatile residual was determined. Black carbon explained 40 to 90% of the non-volatile mass. Especially during colder seasons noticeable amount of non-volatile material, something else than black carbon, was observed. According to Kalberer et al. (2004) some atmospheric organic species can form polymers that have high evaporation temperatures. Also low-volatile organic salts may contribute to the non-volatile aerosol (Smith et al., 2010). Aerosol mass composition measured directly with AMS (Aerosol Mass Spectrometer, Jayne et al., 2000) was analyzed in order to examine the properties of the non-volatile material (other than black carbon). The AMS measurements were performed during spring and autumn 2008. Results from the aerosol mass spectrometry indicate that the non-volatile residual consists of nitrate and organic compounds, especially during autumn. These compounds may be low-volatile organic nitrates or salts. During winter and spring the non-volatile core (black carbon removed) correlated markedly with carbon monoxide, which is a tracer of anthropogenic emissions. Due to this, the non-volatile residual may also contain other pollutants in addition to black carbon. Thus, it seems that the amount of different compounds in submicron aerosol particles varies with season and as a result the chemical composition of the non-volatile residual changes within a year. This work was supported by University of Helsinki three-year research grant No 490082 and Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation grant No 2010143. Aalto et al., (2001). Physical characterization of aerosol particles during nucleation events. Tellus B, 53, 344-358. Jayne, et al., (2000). Development of an aerosol mass spectrometer for size and composition analysis of submicron particles. Aerosol Sci. Technol., 33(1-2), 49-70. Kalberer et al., (2004). Identification of Polymers as Major Components of Atmospheric Organic Aerosols. Science, 303, 1659-1662. Smith et al., (2010). Observations of aminium salts in atmospheric nanoparticles and possible climatic implications. P. Natl. Acad. Sci., 107(15). Vesala et al., (1998). Long-term field measurements of atmosphere-surface interactions in boreal forest combining forest ecology, micrometeorology, aerosol physics and atmospheric chemistry. Trends Heat, Mass Mom. Trans., 4, 17-35. Wehner et al., (2002). Design and calibration of a thermodenuder with an improved heating unit to measure the size-dependent volatile fraction of aerosol particles. J. Aerosol Sci., 33, 1087-1093.

The Exploration Water Recovery System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

ORourke, Mary Jane E.; Carter, Layne; Holder, Donald W.; Tomes, Kristin M.

2006-01-01

The Exploration Water Recovery System is designed towards fulfillment of NASA s Vision for Space Exploration, which will require elevation of existing technologies to higher levels of optimization. This new system, designed for application to the Exploration infrastructure, presents a novel combination of proven air and water purification technologies. The integration of unit operations is modified from that of the current state-of-the-art water recovery system so as to optimize treatment of the various waste water streams, contaminant loads, and flow rates. Optimization is achieved primarily through the removal of volatile organic contaminants from the vapor phase prior to their absorption into the liquid phase. In the current state-of-the-art system, the water vapor in the cabin atmosphere is condensed, and the volatile organic contaminants present in that atmosphere are absorbed into the aqueous phase. Removal of contaminants the5 occurs via catalytic oxidation in the liquid phase. Oxidation kinetics, however, dictate that removal of volatile organic contaminants from the vapor phase can inherently be more efficient than their removal from the aqueous phase. Taking advantage of this efficiency reduces the complexity of the water recovery system. This reduction in system complexity is accompanied by reductions in the weight, volume, power, and resupply requirements of the system. Vapor compression distillation technology is used to treat the urine, condensate, and hygiene waste streams. This contributes to the reduction in resupply, as incorporation of vapor compression distillation technology at this point in the process reduces reliance on the expendable ion exchange and adsorption media used in the current state-of-the-art water recovery system. Other proven technologies that are incorporated into the Exploration Water Recovery System include the Trace Contaminant Control System and the Volatile Removal Assembly.

Inorganic salts interact with oxalic acid in submicron particles to form material with low hygroscopicity and volatility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drozd, G.; Woo, J.; Häkkinen, S. A. K.; Nenes, A.; McNeill, V. F.

2014-05-01

Volatility and hygroscopicity are two key properties of organic aerosol components, and both are strongly related to chemical identity. While the hygroscopicities of pure salts, di-carboxylic acids (DCA), and DCA salts are known, the hygroscopicity of internal mixtures of these components, as they are typically found in the atmosphere, has not been fully characterized. Here we show that inorganic-organic component interactions typically not considered in atmospheric models can lead to very strongly bound metal-organic complexes and greatly affect aerosol volatility and hygroscopicity; in particular, the bi-dentate binding of DCA to soluble inorganic ions. We have studied the volatility of pure, dry organic salt particles and the hygroscopicity of internal mixtures of oxalic acid (OxA, the dominant DCA in the atmosphere) and a number of salts, both mono- and di-valent. The formation of very low volatility organic salts was confirmed, with minimal evaporation of oxalate salt particles below 75 °C. Dramatic increases in the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation diameter for particles with di-valent salts (e.g., CaCl2) and relatively small particle volume fractions of OxA indicate that standard volume additivity rules for hygroscopicity do not apply. Thus small organic compounds with high O : C ratios are capable of forming low-volatility and very low hygroscopicity particles. Given current knowledge of the formation mechanisms of OxA and M-Ox salts, surface enrichment of insoluble M-Ox salts is expected. The resulting formation of an insoluble coating of metal-oxalate salts can explain low-particle hygroscopicities. The formation of particles with a hard coating could offer an alternative explanation for observations of glass-like particles without the need for a phase transition.