An exposure system for the calibration of passive samplers to volatile organic compounds at low (ppbv) concentrations

A recycling exposure system, which has characteristics of dynamic and static systems, has been designed and constructed for calibrating passive sampling tubes. This system is very easy to set up and maintain. Organic vapors inside the system are generated by syringe injection, and homogeneous vapors are circulated by a metal-bellows pump. The concentrations of light hydrocarbons (e.g., isoprene) may decrease slightly after circulating for longer than 10 hours; however, this system is very stable for C5-C8 hydrocarbons for at least eight hours. The system has been used successfully to calibrate Perkin-Elmer diffusion tubes packed with Chromosorb 106 for collecting benzene vapor at low exposure doses (< 70 ppmv x min). The entire system can be easily and effectively cleaned by circulating through a U-tube packed with activated carbon.