Mesoporous silicate MCM-48 as an enrichment medium for ambient volatile organic compound analysis

This study investigated the sorption/desorption properties of MCM-48 and its applicability as a sorbent for on-line gas chromatographic analysis of ambient volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To establish a valid comparison, commercially available carbon sorbents were evaluated under similar analytical conditions. Two trapping temperatures of 30 °C and −20 °C, representing ambient and sub-ambient temperatures, were tested by trapping a full range of VOCs from C₂–C₁₂. At ambient temperatures, due to the mesoporosity, the MCM-48 showed considerably limited trapping efficiency compared to microporous carbon sorbents on the highly volatile section of VOCs and only began to show effective trapping for compounds larger than C₇. Cooling to sub-ambient temperatures (e.g., −20 °C) extended the effective trapping down to C₄ VOCs, drastically increasing the applicability of MCM-48 as an in-line enrichment medium for gas chromatographic analysis of VOCs. The mesoporosity of MCM-48 also aided desorption. Much lower desorption temperatures (100–180 °C) were required for full desorption as compared to the temperatures (greater than 200 °C) required for carbon sorbents. Moreover, the easy desorption was accompanied by a low memory effect, as the large pores of MCM-48 can clean up more efficiently after desorption, with little residue left behind.