Rapid and sensitive detection of formaldehyde using portable 2-dimensional gas chromatography equipped with photoionization detectors

We developed an automated and highly portable device for rapid and sensitive formaldehyde detection based on heart-cutting 2-dimensional gas chromatography. In this design, the air sample was first absorbed by a pre-concentrator before it is injected into the 1st-dimensional column (Rtx (R) -VMS). The partial elution from the 1st-dimensional column containing formaldehyde was re-injected into the 2nd-dimensional column (Rt (R) Q-BOND column) for further separation. The detection of formaldehyde was achieved by using a micro-helium dielectric barrier discharge photoionization detector that is able to ionize formaldehyde (ionization potential = 10.88 eV). Due to the use of many miniaturized components, the entire system has a weight of only 1.3 kg (excluding the helium cartridge) and dimensions of only 27 cm x 24 cm x 12 cm. It is capable of detecting formaldehyde down to 0.5 ppb (V/V) with a signal-to-noise ratio of 6 in only 11 min (including 6 min of sampling). Meanwhile, simultaneous separation and detection of other air pollution related toxic compounds, such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene, was also demonstrated by the 1-dimensional column and a flow-through micro-photoionization detector. The device developed here should have a broad range of applications in environmental protection, industries, space exploration, and battlefield.