The sensitive, selective, fast, and reliable analysis provided by SIFT-MS makes it exceptionally well-suited for outdoor air quality monitoring. SIFT-MS enables real-time detection, identification, and resolution of potential environmental incidents before they escalate to regulatory or social issues.
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Global regulators are increasingly imposing stricter and more comprehensive emissions requirements due to the growing concerns about the impact of airborne pollutants.
Traditionally, fenceline emissions were monitored using offline laboratory methods, such as GC-MS or HPLC. These methods lack the time resolution, sensitivity, and completeness of analysis needed to provide timely information in the face of such a complex and dynamic matrix.
Online monitoring has emerged as an essential tool to guarantee that the root cause of air quality perturbations can be rapidly recognized and addressed.
Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) is a groundbreaking direct mass spectrometric method for sensitive, continuous, selective, and rapid real-time analysis of air down to ppbV or pptV levels (depending on the analyte).
The SIFT-MS instrument from Syft Technologies is a distinctive monitoring equipment with the capability to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (including sulfides, aldehydes, and aromatics), inorganic compounds (such as NOx, SOx, and H2S), and inorganic acid gases (like HCl and HF) directly in a single analysis, eliminating the need of sample preparation.
Figure 1 shows continuous monitoring data for environmentally significant compounds collected at the fenceline of a semiconductor fab.
The selectivity and sensitivity of SIFT-MS allow the selective detection and quantification of frequent spikes in toluene alongside a diverse range of other compounds at varying concentrations.
Independent trends, such as the daily 11 am spike in isobutyl alcohol and propanoic acid, provide valuable information for engineers to make informed process control decisions.
Figure 2 presents data collected at the fenceline of a petroleum refinery in New Zealand. This data, when correlated with local wind direction readings, facilitated process engineers in tracing increased emissions at the site boundary back to a storage tank.
The automated operation, reporting, and alarms in real-time allow swift responses to pollution events as they occur.
SIFT-MS instruments can be easily integrated with both fixed and mobile sampling systems. Instruments mounted on vans or trolleys enable targeted identification and isolation of pollution sources.
Multiple-port sampling systems can be applied for uninterrupted monitoring over a wide range of locations using a single instrument at a fixed location.
Figure 1. Online monitoring data was collected for a selection of environmentally relevant compounds at the boundary of a semiconductor fab. Individual trends over a comprehensive range of emissions can be monitored simultaneously, allowing for a greater understanding of the origins of these unwanted compounds. Image Credit: Syft Technologies
Figure 2. Continuous, speciated monitoring of fenceline emissions provides valuable information to engineers for process improvement and resolving issues. Fenceline data collected at an oil refinery in New Zealand was combined with wind readings to pinpoint a storage tank that was regularly releasing volatile organic compounds. Image Credit: Syft Technologies
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Syft Technologies.
For more information on this source, please visit Syft Technologies.