A procedure for quantitating air samples generated at waste sites was developed. A simultaneous direct reading indicator tube system was used that concurrently drew air through up to ten separate colorimetric direct reading detector tubes. The system consisted of two battery operated air pumps, ten detector tubes, and needle valves connected to three way stopcocks that regulated the sample flow through the tubes at approximately 300 milliliters per minute. As the air samples passed through the detector tubes they produced detectable lengths of stain or color change reactions at the minimum contaminant detection limit for each tube. The length of the stain and intensity of color produced in the detector tube was dependent on the rate of contaminant gas flow through the reagent beds. The system provided continuous air flow and a more distinct and clearly defined stained reaction in the detector tubes than when hand operated pumps were used. Activated charcoal filters placed between the detector tubes and the needle valves provided protection against corrosion by reaction products generated by the detector tubes during sampling. Following calibration, appropriate sample volumes were aspirated into each tube and excess samples were directed to the bypass valve by adjusting the stopcock. A single test using this device was completed within 8 minutes. This device was used successfully to detect several esters, aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons, carbon-monoxide (630080), halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons, amines, ammonia (7664417) and acid vapors. The authors recommend the use of the system for rapid screening of unknown substances at spill scenes or hazardous waste sites.
Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website.
For more information on CDC's web notification policies, see Website Disclaimers.
CDC.gov Privacy Settings
We take your privacy seriously. You can review and change the way we collect information below.
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.
Cookies used to make website functionality more relevant to you. These cookies perform functions like remembering presentation options or choices and, in some cases, delivery of web content that based on self-identified area of interests.
Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data.
Cookies used to enable you to share pages and content that you find interesting on CDC.gov through third party social networking and other websites. These cookies may also be used for advertising purposes by these third parties.
Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page.