Improved gas collection from Microanalytics

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 - and 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 for Microanalytics.

Microanalytics™ Sumo-Bag™ has been engineered to overcome both performance and cost-efficiency shortfalls of existing technology. It is manufactured 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.

Ideal applications for the technology could range from waste situations involving animal feed operations such as poultry, cattle and swine, industrial waste, human waste, and any other environment emitting high polar compounds.

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.