A simple method for vapor dosing of charcoal sorbent tubes

A method for vapor-dosing of charcoal sorbent tubes (CST) that does not require the expense and effort of a test chamber was used to test the desorption efficiency (DE) of seven solvent vapors, representing six classes of solvents as follows: aromatic hydrocarbons (m-xylene); ether/alcohol (2-ethoxyethanol); vinyl monomers (styrene monomer, vinyl acetate); aliphatic hydrocarbons (n-hexane); aliphatic esters (n-butyl acetate); and aliphatic acrylic monomers (methyl methacrylate). The quantities of the solvents used in these experiments would represent eight-hour exposures to concentrations of approximately 0.2 to 10 ppm. The vapor-dosing experimental system consisted of a loaded filter cassette connected directly to a CST. Vapor was generated by injecting liquid solvent onto the glass fiber filter and drawing air through the system. The solvent was desorbed from the filter and charcoal for analysis. Vapor desorption efficiency was determined from the fraction of the injected solvent evaporated from the filter and the amount recovered from the charcoal. The measured DEs were similar to those reported for liquid dosed charcoal. Vapor dosing of sorbent tubes is more representative of samples collected for industrial hygiene exposure assessment. The system is simple to use and applicable for vapor dosing of any sorbent tube.