Sampling and GCMS Analysis of BTEX/TCE/PCE in Ambient Air using Diffusive Sorbent Pens and a Simplified “In-Oven” Secondary Trapping System

Abstract

A new solution is presented for diffusive collection of BTEX/TCE/PCE in ambient and indoor air over extended period of time, followed by thermal desorption analysis by GCMS. Detection limits range from low part per trillion in ambient air, with support for higher concentrations in fenceline monitoring and other applications simply by increasing the split ratio upon GCMS analysis. Thermal desorption tubes called “Diffusive Sorbent Pens (DSPs)” were used to collect 2-week samples passively. Direct thermal desorption of the DSP samplers into a GCMS oven using a dual split technique with intermediate collection on a capillary focusing trap inside of the GC oven was used to avoid the need for a complicated benchtop thermal desorption system and autosampler with rotary valves and transfer lines. Two-week ambient level BTEX/TCE/PCE data is presented showing near perfect precision obtained using DSP diffusive sampling followed by dual split, “In-GC-Oven” focusing.

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• Create Date October 20, 2025
• Last Updated October 20, 2025