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Trace gas analysis for the evaluation of zero air generators

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Abstract

Trace amount of substance fractions of air pollutants in zero air are measured applying sensitive analytical methods in combination with the infrastructure to operate zero air generators under simulated field conditions at place. The uncertainties of the amount of substance fractions of a diluted standard gas mixture and the dilution offsets are calculated under conditions that consider the effect of trace amounts of analyte in the zero gas with increasing dilution of a gravimetric gas standard. The analytical methods and their calibration, the test procedure and results for various zero air generators are described. The results are compared with the specifications, the Swiss regulatory requirements and the European norms for monitoring ambient air pollutants. By knowing the residual amount of substance of the analyte in a zero gas, the instrument offsets by dilution can be eliminated and the uncertainties for the measurement values of the diluted standard gas mixtures be calculated.

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Acknowledgement

The author thanks the former and present management of METAS for supporting the build-up of the IMR-MS and the other trace analytical methods. D. Schwaller realised the integrated gas controller, H. Herren of Iset (Laupen, Switzerland) the data acquisition and automation of the IMR-MS method. A. Ackermann, C. Couret and M. Quintilii delivered the permeation standards. The staff of the METAS machine and electronic shops make the apparatus working, the informatics group establishes the reliable computer network. The comments on the manuscript by Hp. Andres, B. Niederhauser and S. Wunderli are appreciated. The discussions with colleagues of the group and of METAS make the good working atmosphere. The information given by the clients and their agreement to publish the data of their zero air generators are much acknowledged.

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  1. Federal Office of Metrology METAS, Lindenweg 50, 3003, Bern-Wabern, Switzerland

    Hans-Peter Haerri

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  1. Hans-Peter Haerri
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Correspondence to Hans-Peter Haerri.

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Haerri, HP. Trace gas analysis for the evaluation of zero air generators. Accred Qual Assur 14, 647–654 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-009-0584-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-009-0584-x

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