U.S. patent number 4,327,575 [Application Number 06/133,249] was granted by the patent office on 1982-05-04 for monitoring apparatus and method for toxic vapors.
Invention is credited to Laurence D. Locker.
United States Patent |
4,327,575 |
Locker |
May 4, 1982 |
Monitoring apparatus and method for toxic vapors
Abstract
An apparatus and method for measuring toxic vapors through the
use of a two chamber sensing device is presented wherein a first
chamber contains an adsorbent for materials not to be monitored but
which interfere with the monitoring process and the second chamber
contains a material that collects the substance to be analyzed.
Inventors: |
Locker; Laurence D. (Pompano
Beach, FL) |
Family
ID: |
22457691 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/133,249 |
Filed: |
March 24, 1980 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
73/31.02; 422/88;
73/31.07 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01N
33/0014 (20130101); G01N 31/224 (20130101); G01N
1/405 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G01N
31/22 (20060101); G01N 33/00 (20060101); G01N
1/40 (20060101); G01N 031/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;73/23,421.5
;422/88 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
3950980 |
April 1976 |
Braun et al. |
3992153 |
November 1976 |
Ferber et al. |
4040805 |
August 1977 |
Nelms et al. |
4046014 |
September 1977 |
Boehringer et al. |
|
Primary Examiner: Ciarlante; Anthony V.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Weaver; D. Paul
Claims
What I claim is:
1. A monitoring device, comprising:
a primary adsorbent for a predetermined substance;
a gas permeable basket for containing said primary adsorbent;
means to secure said basket in said container;
means for admitting ambient atmosphere into said container; and
an isolating granular adsorbent for selectively removing material
from the atmosphere by adsorption, said isolating adsorbent
positioned in said container between said primary adsorbent and
said means for admitting ambient atmosphere whereby ambient
atmosphere can reach said primary adsorbent only after flowing
through said isolating granular adsorbent arranged in a bed of
loosely packed granules.
2. A monitoring device as defined in claim 1 wherein said primary
adsorbent is charcoal.
3. A monitoring device as defined in claim 1 wherein said primary
adsorbent is a metal film.
4. A monitoring device as defined in claim 1 wherein said primary
adsorbent is a transitional metal.
5. A monitoring device as defined in claim 1 wherein said primary
adsorbent is a molecular sieve.
6. A monitoring device as defined in claim 1 wherein said isolating
adsorbent is magnesium perchlorate.
7. A monitoring device as defined in claim 1 wherein said isolating
adsorbent is magnesium chloride.
8. A monitoring device as defined in claim 1 wherein said container
is a rectangular box and said means for admitting ambient
atmosphere is a cover for said box including an aperture
dimensioned to control the rate at which ambient atmosphere enters
said container and said aperture is sealed with a gas permeable
membrane.
9. A monitoring device as defined in claim 8 wherein said gas
permeable membrane is adapted to permit passage of said
predetermined substance.
10. A monitoring device as defined in claim 8, further comprising a
gas permeable barrier adapted to hold said primary adsorbent in the
section of said container opposite said cover.
11. A monitoring device as defined in claim 1, wherein said primary
adsorbent is in the form of a solid cylindrical body.
12. A monitoring device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means
for admitting ambient atmosphere into said container is an aperture
of a predetermined size calculated to admit a predetermined volume
of gas into said container over a predetermined period of time.
13. A monitoring device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means
for admitting ambient atmosphere into said container comprises a
membrane which selectively passes said predetermined substance and
resists the passage of substances not being monitored.
14. A monitoring device, comprising:
a container formed in the shape of a tubular structure;
means to close one end of said tubular structure;
a primary adsorbent for a predetermined substance;
a gas permeable disc for holding said primary adsorbent in the
closed end of said tubular structure;
an isolating granular adsorbent for selectively removing material
from the atmosphere;
a gas permeable diaphragm for holding said isolating granular
adsorbent between the open end of said container and said gas
permeable disc;
a screen member for securing said gas permeable membrane at the
open end of said container; and
a cover for the open end of said container including an opening in
said cover dimensioned to permit ambient atmosphere to enter at a
predetermined rate.
15. A method for determining the exposure of an individual to toxic
material in the form of a substance or vapor, including the steps
of:
placing a primary adsorbent for said toxic material in a container
closed at one end and open at an opposite end;
isolating said primary adsorbent from ambient atmosphere by
encasing said primary adsorbent in an isolating granular adsorbent;
and passing a gas sample through said isolating granular adsorbent
to said primary adsorbent.
16. A method as defined in claim 15 wherein said step of passing a
gas sample through said isolating granular adsorbent to said
primary adsorbent includes the steps of:
removing materials other than said toxic materials from said gas
sample with said isolating granular adsorbent; and
adsorbing said toxic materials in said gas sample with said primary
adsorbent.
17. A method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the steps
of:
removing said primary adsorbent from said container;
driving off said toxic substance from said primary adsorbent;
and
measuring the amount of said toxic substance driven off of said
primary adsorbent.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a means to monitor substances in a
gaseous or vaporous state in an atmosphere containing additional
gases or vapors which affect the reliability of the basic sensing
means.
BACKGROUND OF PRIOR ART
Exposure of personal to hazardous materials in the atmosphere has
long been a serious problem in many industries. As our knowledge
increases, it becomes increasingly apparent that a wide variety of
hazardous substances are present in the air we breathe and
constitute major occupational hazards in numerous industries.
To counter the effect of hazardous materials in the atmosphere,
numerous attempts have been made to provide personal monitoring
devices which will supply an indication as to the extent of
exposure of individuals wearing the badges. One such device is the
"Personal Monitoring Device, Or Dosimeter, For Measuring Exposure
Of Personal To Organic Vapors", U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,805 issued to
L. Nelms et al. This patent discloses a personal monitoring device
which is calculated to meet the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health requirements by providing an indication as to the
amount of vinyl chloride that a person has been exposed to within a
work establishment. This device provides a fairly reliable means to
determine certain pollutants in the atmosphere so long as the
material used to adsorb the pollutants for subsequent analysis is
maintained free of material which will interfere with the analysis
and affect the ability of the adsorbing material to function in
accordance with a desired, predetermined reaction rate.
D. Braun, U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,980 for "Vapor Sampling Device" is
another U.S. Patent which attempts to provide a monitoring means to
determine constituents in an ambient gas mixture. This patent and
Braun's U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,219 on "Gas Detector Device" teach the
principle of a detector material which reacts with a component to
be monitored in a predetermined fasion. The reaction is regulated
by controlling the gas contact with the adsorbing material through
the use of porous gas flow attenuating means and channels. This
approach eliminates variances in the monitoring system caused by
velocity and incident angle variations of the impinging gas with
respect to the sensing material but it fails to compensate for
materials such as Cl.sub.2 in the atmosphere which are not being
measured but which affect the measurement of the substance of
interest.
A still further example of prior art gas monitoring means may be
found in R. Goldsmith U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,017 on "Gaseous
Contaminate Dosimeter And Method" which uses techniques similar to
those of the Braun devices in that a membrane controls flow of the
gas toward an adsorber but, like all of the known prior art
devices, it fails to overcome the problems resulting from
atmospheric constituents which interfere with the adsorption rate
of the detector material.
OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION
In view of the obvious inability of the prior art monitoring
devices to compensate for the presence in an atmosphere being
monitored of substances which are not of interest but which affect
the monitoring device, it is a primary objective of the present
invention to provide a personal monitoring device for toxic vapors
which will not be affected by constituents in the atmosphere other
than the actual substance for which a measurement is being
made.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a
monitoring system comprised of a chamber containing an adsorbent
for the substance to be monitored in combination with a second
chamber containing a means to prevent substances which will affect
the adsorbent but which are not substances to be monitored from
reaching the adsorbent.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a
personal monitoring device for toxic vapors wherein the atmosphere
being monitored must first pass through a screening zone which
eliminates preselected substances but permits the passage of the
substance to be measured into a monitoring chamber.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a
personal monitoring device which reliably produces repeatable
measurements, is not affected by substances other than that being
monitored, and is inexpensive to produce and analyze after
exposure.
The foregoing and other objectives of the present invention will
become apparent in view of the specification and drawings which
follow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Presented hereby is a personal monitoring device comprised of a
material which collects a substance to be analyzed. The material is
positioned within a container and insulated from ambient atmosphere
by an adsorbent which adsorbs substances which will affect the
functioning of the collecting substance but will pass and not
adsorp the substances to be collected.
The substance collector is analyzed after a predetermined period of
exposure by any of the well known techniques for determining the
amount of substance collected, such as thermal desorption of the
substance from the collector or solvent extraction and analyzing
the desorbed material with a chromatographic detector.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cutaway view of an embodiment of the present invention
illustrating first and second containers for an adsorbent and
collector material.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a side, cutaway view of an embodiment of the present
invention illustrating the use of a solid collector material.
FIG. 4 is a front view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a side, cutaway view of an embodiment of the present
invention wherein the collector is suspended within a container of
adsorbent materials.
FIG. 6 is a top view of the embodiment of the present invention
illustrated in FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a typical adaption of the
invention.
FIG. 8 is a cover for the embodiment of FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a tubular adaptation of the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In its simplest form, the invention is comprised of a container 10
(FIGS. 1 and 2) comprised of a gas impervious back 11 and four
sides 12. The relatively shallow container formed of the gas
impervious members 11 and 12 functions as a receptacle for a
collecting agent 13 which is positioned in the section of the
container against the back portion 11.
The collecting agent 13 is the primary adsorbent of the system. It
is held in place by a separator 14 which is permeable to the
substance to be collected. The separator and sides form an outer
chamber in which an isolating adsorbent 15 is placed. The isolating
adsorbent 15 adsorbs substances in the atmosphere which would
affect the operation of the primary adsorbent 13 but it will pass
the material to be collected.
The isolating adsorbent 15 is retained in the container by a porous
membrane 16.
FIG. 3 is a further embodiment of the subject invention wherein the
primary adsorbent is a flat surface. A gas impervious substrate 20
supports a metal surface 21 which functions as a collector or
adsorber for the material to be detected. A container 22 encloses
the metal surface and houses a substance 23 which functions to
adsorb materials other than the material to be monitored and thus
prevents them from being adsorbed by the metal surface and
affecting the operation of the device.
FIG. 4 illustrates a cover 22 which has an opening 24 that is
sealed with a porous membrane 25. The cover 22 may be used with the
embodiments of FIG. 2 or 3. The rate of adsorption or collection by
surface 21 of FIG. 3 or primary adsorbent 13 of FIG. 1 is
controlled by varying the area of the opening or the porosity of
the membrane or both techniques.
The concept of a variable opening and controllable porosity
membrane may be used in any of the embodiments disclosed or
anticipated by this specification.
A further embodiment of the present invention includes a selective
porous membrane wherein certain undesirable constituents of the gas
being monitored are prevented from entering the monitoring chambers
and thus performs a function similar to the protective adsorbent 15
or 23 in the previously described embodiments.
FIG. 5 is a still further embodiment of the present invention
wherein the collection materials 31 may be in the form of a solid
rod or a granular substance within a tubular, permeable container
32. The collecting material 31 is suspended within a gas permeable
tube 33 which is packed with a granular adsorbing material 34 which
functions to prevent materials in the atmosphere which will affect
the functioning of the collector from reaching the collector. If
desired, the tubular structure 33 may have gas permeable side walls
or the side walls may be impermeable and the atmosphere admitted to
the testing chamber through a porous membrane 35 in the bottom 36
of the vapor collecting cylinder, see FIGS. 5 and 6.
In alternate forms of the embodiment, a deposited film on a
supporting substrate may be used as a collecting material.
FIG. 7 illustrates an adaptation of the principles previously
described herein. In this system, a rectangular container comprised
of a rear tray 41 and a cover 42 is adapted to house a wire basket
43 which contains an adsorbent sensitive to a material to be
monitored. The cover 42 includes an opening 44 which is sealed by a
porous membrane 45 constructed from a material which will permit
passage of the material to be detected. The container 41 has a clip
46 affixed to the back so that a person may attach the device to
their clothing. In operation, an adsorbent for materials which are
to be detected is placed within the receptacle part of the wire
basket 43. It is placed within the container and covered with
protective granular adsorbent 47 which passes the material to be
monitored but adsorbs interfering elements and sealed with
container 42. A cover 48 is placed over container cover 42 to
prevent the atmosphere from entering the test chamber until it is
desired that a monitoring period is to begin. The cover 48 may
include instructions such as illustrated in FIG. 8 whereby a user
is directed to remove the cover before using the sensor and to
replace the cover when the sensor is not to be used and when the
container is returned to a processing lab for analysis. The inside
of the cover 48 as illustrated in FIG. 8 may contain information
relative to the exposure.
The exploded view of FIG. 9 represents one embodiment of the
present invention which utilizes a tubular structure. In this
embodiment, a tubular section 51 is divided by a screen 52 which
forms an upper and lower chamber. The lower chamber contains a
granular adsorbent 53 which functions to adsorb the specific
material being monitored. The adsorbent 53 is contained within the
tubular structure by cap 54.
A second adsorbent 55 is deposited in the upper portion of tubular
member 51 on top of separating screen 52. This adsorbent will not
adsorb the material being monitored but it will adsorb other
constituents in the ambient atmosphere which may interfere with the
adsorbent 53. A porous membrane 56 is placed over the adsorbent 55
to regulate the flow of atmosphere into the tubular system 51.
Membrane 56 and the adsorbent 55 therebelow is secured in place by
a screen member 57 which is held in place by a cap 58.
Cap 58 has an aperture 59 located in the upper portion which is
dimensioned to permit a calculated exposure to the atmosphere so
that the rate of adsorption of the material being monitored by
adsorbent 53 may be determined after a period of exposure by
driving off the materials from the adsorbent 53 and measuring the
amount of materials which were adsorbed. An adhesive disc or cap 60
is used to seal the opening 59 so that the monitoring system will
be inactive until its use is desired.
A label 61 similar to that illustrated in FIG. 8 may be provided to
supply test data. This label, 61, is wrapped about the cylinder 51
after caps 54 and 58 are in place and functions as a sealing means
to ensure that both caps are not removed during the normal use of
the monitoring device.
The following are various methods utilizing the inventive concepts
for monitoring noxious materials in the atmosphere:
METHOD 1
The system may be employed in a method to detect nitrous oxide as
follows:
1. A two piece metal or plastic container is prepared with a hole
in the container. The size of the hole is dimensioned to control
the rate of vapor collected.
2. The hole is covered with a chemically inert membrane such as
teflon (PTFE), silicone, or other materials, as long as they are
porous, and allow diffusion of nitrous oxide.
3. A rectangular wire mesh basket is prepared with one end open.
The wire mesh basket functions as a container to hold an adsorbent
nitrous oxide.
4. The nitrous oxide adsorbent such as a "13.times." molecular
sieve produced by Davison Chemical Company is cleaned by heating it
for at least one hour at a maximum temperature of between
300.degree. and 450.degree. Celsius at a pressure of 10.sup.-3
torr.
5. The molecular sieve or adsorbent is added to the basket, and the
open end is closed with a wire mesh flap.
6. The basket containing the adsorbent sieve is fastened to the
bottom of the container, using an adhesive or solder, or the sieve
may be contained in a place that is an integral part of a molded
container.
7. A drying agent such as magnesium chloride is packed around the
basket containing the sieve.
8. The top of the container, with the porous membrane attached, is
placed over the bottom part, and the two pieces are sealed so that
the only way for vapor to contact the adsorbent sieve is for it to
be transported through the porous membrane and drying agent.
9. A tight fitting cover is placed over the part of the container
that contains the membrane.
10. A nitrous oxide sensor is attached to the clothing of a person
with a clasp and at the beginning of the monitoring period, the
tight fitting cover is removed.
11. The sensor is exposed during the monitoring period and after
the period is over, the tight fitting cover is replaced.
12. Data on an identity of user, date, exposure time, and other
information is recorded on a label that is affixed to the
sensor.
13. The detector is placed in a container, and returned to a place
where the amount of nitrous oxide collected on the adsorber is
measured.
14. The sieve or nitrous oxide adsorbent is placed in an analysis
system.
15. The adsorbent is heated until all of the nitrous oxide is
desorbed.
16. The desorbed nitrous oxide is caused to flow through a detector
cell which provides an indication of the absolute amount of nitrous
oxide freed from the collector and thus provides an indication of
the rate of adsorption of nitrous oxide and the amount in the
atmosphere which was monitored.
17. As an alternate extraction method, nitrous oxide may be removed
from the adsorbent by the use of a suitable solvent.
METHOD 2
A method for monitoring ethylene oxide consists of the
following:
1. A container is prepared by placing a thin piece of metal or a
substrate having a film deposited thereon in the bottom portion of
the container. The metal or film is any material that adsorbs
ethylene oxide such as one of the transition metals (Ni, Cr,
Va).
2. The adsorbing surface is covered by a granular adsorbent which
will not adsorb ethylene oxide but will adsorb other constituents
of the atmosphere which will affect the ability of the adsorbing
surface to collect ethylene oxide.
3. A cover having an aperture closed with a porous membrane is
placed over the container to retain the adsorbers. The size of the
hole in the porosity of the membrane are selected to control the
rate of adsorption of ethylene oxide.
4. The sensor is exposed to ambient atmosphere for a desired period
of time, after which it is sealed and forwarded to an analysis
facility.
5. At the analysis facility, an infrared analysis technique is
utilized wherein the ethylene oxide is desorbed from the surface
and the vapor is irradiated by an infrared system of a
predetermined wavelength. The amount of released ethylene oxide is
determined by measuring the infrared adsorption of the vapor to
provide an absolute value of the amount collected during the
exposure period.
6. An alternate method of determining the amount of ethylene oxide
adsorbed may be the direct analysis of the surface through
irradiation techniques whereby the reaction of the surface to
specific wavelengths will provide an indication as to the amount of
ethylene oxide contained thereon.
METHOD 3
Nitrous oxide may be sensed as follows:
1. An adsorbent material for nitrous oxide such as a metal film, a
molecular sieve, or charcoal is placed in the bottom of a
container.
2. A retaining screen is placed over the adsorbent and a drying
agent such as magnesium perchlorate [Mg(ClO.sup.4).sub.2 ],
magnesium chloride [MgCl.sub.2 6H.sub.2 O], or other drying agent
is placed over the screen and the container is sealed with a cover
having an opening over which a porous membrane is provided which
will retain the drying agent and permit transportation of vapor
therethrough.
3. The atmosphere to be monitored is permitted to pass through the
porous membrane and drying agent wherein nitrous oxide may then be
adsorbed by the adsorbent.
4. The amount of nitrous oxide collected by the adsorbent is
determined by any one of the number of well known techniques.
METHOD 4
The amount of ethylene oxide in the atmosphere may be determined by
follows:
1. An adsorbent for ethylene oxide is placed in a container and
covered with a screen device to secure the adsorbent in the bottom
of the container.
2. Activated alumina or other adsorbent that adsorbs alcohol vapor
but does not adsorb ethylene oxide is placed on top of the screen
and the container is closed by a cover having an opening secured
with a porous membrane which will contain the activated
alumina.
3. The container is exposed to the ambient atmosphere for a
predetermined period of time.
4. The ethylene oxide adsorbent is removed and the ethylene oxide
is driven off in a test system which will measure the amount of
ethylene oxide to provide an absolute value from which the amount
of ethylene oxide in the monitored atmosphere may be
determined.
While preferred embodiments of this invention have been illustrated
and described, variations and modifications may be apparent to
those skilled in the art. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited
thereto and ask that the scope and breadth of this invention be
determined from the claims which follow rather than the above
description.
* * * * *