[Gravimetric method of determining petroleum vapors in the air]

The method is based on drawing a known volume of air through a tube filled with activated carbon. Water vapour, adsorbed together with hydrocarbons is removed from charcoal by passing dry nitrogen. Drying with nitrogen does not result in any decrease in the quantity of hydrocarbon adsorbed. The quantity of hydrocarbons is determined by weighing the tube before and after sampling. The authors investigated the dynamics of drying the charcoal from adsorbed water as well as the efficiency of hydrocarbon adsorption on charcoal. In addition, they established the conditions for samples collection. The range of the method is from 250 g/m3 to 10 000 g/m3.