Sandia National Laboratories has developed a portable system for the detection
of Trihalomethanes (THMs) in water using purge and trap followed by isothermal gas
chromatography and surface acoustic wave (SAW) detection. This system provides a
small footprint, low cost, sensitive, and quickly deployable water sensor. The self-contained
system weighs less than 32 pounds, occupies a carry-on luggage-sized case,
and performs THM analysis in less than 15 minutes. An inexpensive programmable
integrated circuit (PIC) processor handles heating, timing, valve control and data
collection functions for the system. Plotting and analysis are performed with a portable
computer.
Sandia has a long history of field detection with a variety of SAW-based systems
deployed in national security applications. SAW detection of THMs is a natural
extension of this work, and Sandia's SAW technology has advantages for field use over
commercial SAWs and other water contaminant detection technology.
Standard methods of organic sample collection and analysis are costly.
Portable, rapid, and inexpensive detection of THMs and other hazardous disinfection
byproducts would benefit utilities, through better regulatory compliance and cost
savings through enhanced process control; epidemiological researchers, through
enhanced and cheaper monitoring capabilities; and ultimately the public, through better
understanding and control of the water supply.
While this system was introduced to the AWWA community in the fall of 2005,
improvements have been ongoing. This talk will review the system and its components,
discuss improvements in SAW coatings techniques and materials as well as the
system's current capabilities. Future improvements will also be discussed, such as the
use of microfabricated components to reduce the power and size of the overall system.
Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed
Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy NNSA under Contract
DE-AC04-94AL85000. Includes abstract only.
| Edition : | Vol. - No. |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 220 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 1 |
| Published : | 03/01/2007 |
