Articles
RSSMicroanalytics Launches Sumo-Bag For Gas Collection
July 1, 2008
Round Rock, TX - Microanalytics, a subsidiary of MOCON , has developed a new, improved gas collection method for a variety of human, biological and industrial waste environments. The company's new Sumo-Bag provides a more effective way to transport malodorous higher polar, semi-volatile compounds such as p-Cresol.
Currently, the two most commonly used gas collection methods are Tedlar polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) bags and Summa Canisters. Collecting and analyzing malodorous compounds is the first step to elimination. The ability to transport the gases to the lab in the shortest amount of time with the minimum amount of loss is critical.
"Our studies show that the recovery of p-Cresol using a Tedlar Bag is 20% to 27% of the original sample. The loss occurs within the first hour of exposure. Combining this loss with the inherent background odors present in the Tedlar film, especially phenolic compounds, makes the detection of low levels of semi-volatile compounds very difficult to impossible using this collection method," explains Fred Kuhrt, operations manager, Microanalytics.
The other commonly used collection method—Summa Canisters—has a high cost impact. Each polished stainless steel canister costs several hundred dollars and anywhere from 5 to 20 are typically used for each field test. Weight and transport can also be an issue.
Microanalytics Sumo-Bag has been engineered to overcome both performance and cost-efficiency shortfalls of existing technology. It is made from metalized Teflon fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) film. Teflon FEP, coupled with the barrier properties offered by the metalized foil, make it an ideal structure to prevent gasses from migrating in or out of the structure.
Similar to the Tedlar bag, the Sumo-Bag also features a valve with a septum. Typically an air-sampling pump is used to pump the air through Teflon tubing. The tubing has a needle attached to one end so that it can be inserted through the valve's septum top.
Ideal applications for the technology would be a variety of waste situations ranging from animal feed operations (poultry, cattle, swine, etc.); industrial waste (refuse, stack emissions, etc.); human waste (diapers, sewage, filtration plants, etc.) and any other environment emitting high polar compounds.
In addition to offering the Sumo-Bag to assist in collection requirements, Microanalytics is also known for the development of the AromaTrax GCMS-Olfactometry Systems. Combined with the human nose, AromaTrax provides an accurate and efficient way to characterize and identify critical odors.
Identifying the compounds that are causing malodors speeds the development of effective processing strategies for their removal. Typically, the company is contracted to identify the source of offending odors in a variety of products and situations and offers solutions to contain or neutralized them.
SOURCE: Baseline - MOCON, Inc.
