New Assessments on CFCs Tropospheric Concentration Levels Measured in Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica)

A gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method for trace analysis of chlorofluorocarbons and their replacement compounds in atmospheric samples

“…The air-sample enrichment procedure has been described elsewhere [22]. Briefly, an adsorption tube, kept at ambient temperature, was connected, via a needle valve, to the flask containing the air sample to be analyzed.…”

“…Mass spectrometric detection is required for high specificity and high sensitivity -the ECD is not sufficiently sensitive for detection of HCFCs and HFCs because its response to hydrogenated halocarbons is at least one order of magnitude lower than that to a fully halogenated halocarbon such CC12F2 [ 19]. Previous papers have reported the performance of Carbopack B (Supelco, Bellefonte, PA, USA), a graphitized carbon black with a surface area of 90 m 2 g-l, as adsorbent for preconcentration of chlorofluorocarbons [20][21][22]. Because the BTV values of the most volatile halocarbons are incompatible with the sample volume required to meet the sensitivity of the analytical method, however, sub-ambient temperatures must be used.…”

Year-round measurement of atmospheric volatile organic compounds using sequential sampling in Dronning Maud Land, East-Antarctica

“…In the latter case, active sampling by pumping one or two liters of air over a sorbent trap consisting of graphitized carbon black (between 400 and 800 mg depending on the type) was used, after which the sample was analyzed in Italy via GC-HRMS. During the summer of 1993/94, (Bruner et al, 1996) sampled C1-C2 halogenated hydrocarbons in the same region using air canisters and off-site analysis with GC-ECD. They stated that the canister sampling procedure is much easier compared to sorbent enrichment when sampling in Antarctic conditions.…”