2021 Volume 14 Issue 2 Pages 141-147
In this study, we developed a real-time volatile organic compounds (VOC) gas monitor using an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS). It was designed for real-time monitoring in work environments, which is difficult to be performed by the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The performance of the real- time monitoring device was evaluated by conducting experiments using toluene widely used in many factories. Toluene has a ceiling value of 300ppm set by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We could determine the quantity of toluene with high accuracy in range of concentration from 40 ppm to 256 ppm. Also the results of the experiment found that toluene can be analyzed in about 50 s interval using this device. The coexisting substance of ethyl alcohol did not affect the qualitativeness and quantitativeness of identification capacity this device, which suggests that a coexisting substance with a lower proton affinity than toluene does not affect the measurement accuracy of toluene concentration. Therefore, we concluded that the device can be used for on-site monitoring toluene concentration in a work environment.
