A new continuous measurement method for gaseous ammonia by counter-current flow tube sampling and indophenol reaction

Abstract

Ammonia (NH3) is the most abundant alkaline gas in the atmosphere and plays a key role in atmospheric chemistry. Reliable and high-time-resolution data for gaseous ammonia are necessary to understand the sources and sinks of ammonia gas in ambient air. In the present study, a sensitive and continuous instrument for measuring gaseous ammonia was developed. Ammonia gas in ambient air was collected in an aqueous solution using a counter-current flow tube (CCFT) sampler. Then, ammonium formed in the aqueous solution was detected by the indophenol method. Based on a CCFT length of 50 cm and air flow rate of 1 L/min, the collection efficiency exceeded 98.5 % at an ammonia mixing ratio of up to 120 ppbv. The detection limit of this method was 0.062 ppbv. Interferences from several gases were investigated, and the results showed that the present method was not affected by NOx, O3, SO2, HONO, methylamine, formaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide or a mixture of these gases. The most important result was that only gaseous ammonia was detected in the present method without any interference from the particulate ammonium in ambient air. Comparisons with data based on the dry denuder method indicated that the present method showed good agreement with the denuder method.