Han Le / Chemistry & Biochemistry / Faculty Mentor: Kevin Schug
In recent years, the issue of trace gas emissions from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills has been a growing concern due to the impact on the environment and human health. These emissions contain a range of odorous compounds, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sulfur-based compounds, nitrogen-based compounds, and volatile fatty acids (VFAs). This study aims to identify these odorous compounds by collecting the samples from a Silco Can air sampling canister using various sampling techniques, such as sorbent tubes and instrumentation based on gas chromatography . The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) have established standardized methods that require these techniques to be used. The proposed approach uses gas chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-TQMS) as an analytical instrument. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in tandem mass spectrometry is used to target analyte-specific fragmentation transitions. The existing methodology focuses more on odor control; it targets specific odorous compounds not addressed by existing methods that focus more on air pollution and safety. The limit of detection (LOD), which is the detection threshold value for the targeted odorous compounds, was established between mid-pptV and sub-ppbV levels. This method is suitable for targeted analysis and provides better results in detecting odorous compounds related to MSW operations.
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