Where are the limits of the gas-phase fluorescence on the polycyclic aromatic compound analysis?

Abstract

The aim of this work has been centered on the development of a detection system which could be useful to determine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emissions in power generation processes where PAHs are released to the atmosphere in the gas phase. In this way, a suitable sensor based on gas phase fluorescence spectroscopy was designed to facilitate the PAH analysis, avoiding previous steps necessary to determine liquid samples such as extraction, concentration, and cleaning. This gas cell was applied for two experimental installations at laboratory scale. One of them was used to determine adsorption capacities and breakthrough curves of PAH binary mixtures and the other installation allowed the separation of PAH mixtures by using, previous to the gas phase fluorescence spectroscopy, a packed column.