BTEX is a complex group of aromatic volatile organic
compounds (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes) associated with
automobile exhaust pollution. Many epidemiological studies have linked elevated
levels of BTEX to adverse human health effects.
Measuring BTEX usually requires the use of gas
chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This instrumentation is bulky,
expensive, and slow. For occupational health and safety applications as well as
for toxicological population studies, it would be desirable to have a small,
lightweight, fast and inexpensive alternative to GC-MS that at the same time had
all the necessary capabilities for BETEX detection and quantitation.
To address this challenge, researchers at the Biodesign
Institute of Arizona State University have developed a hybrid detection device.
The device is composed of a dedicated gas chromatography unit that separates the
various gas-phase chemical pollutants. This is combined with a novel detection
stage that can identify the different chemical moieties. The novel detection
stage unit is based on an array of quartz crystal tuning fork sensors modified
to specifically respond to BTEX components.
This device has been constructed and tested in a variety of
environments with excellent results as compared to the gold standard of GC-MS.
Potential Applications
- Environmental contaminants monitoring
- Toxicology
- Occupational health and safety monitoring
- Detection of explosives (with modification of the senor
arrays)
Benefits and Advantages
- Portable: Miniaturized palm size device allows direct
field use.
- Fast: Results within 3-4 minutes
- Low-cost: Inexpensive components and low power
consumption
- Convenient: Wireless transmittal of data permits
instantaneous analysis.
- Versatile: Technology can be adapted to detect a variety
of chemicals.
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For more information about the inventor(s) and their
research, please see
Dr. Forzani's
directory webpage
Dr. Tao's
directory webpage
Dr. Tao's laboratory
webpage
Dr.
Tao's Biodesign directory webpage
