Abstract
Vapors of volatile organic compounds such as benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) may cause health concerns. The sensitive detection of these compounds in air remains challenging. In this study, we reported on modification of the Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) sensing chip using polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) film as active coating for the analysis of BTX vapors. The PVAc film was deposited on the QCM sensing chip surface by a spin coating technique. The morphology of the PVAc films was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The sensitivities of PVAc based QCM system for benzene, toluene, and xylene analyses were 0.018, 0.041, and 0.081 Hz/ppm, respectively. The high sensitivity of the proposed QCM system for analysis of BTX vapors is believed to be due to the effective interaction between the PVAc film and BTX molecules. The analyte vapor pressure appears to also affect the sensitivity. These data show that the prepared QCM sensor has a low time constant, good reproducibility, and excellent stability. It offers an alternative to the developed methods for detection of BTX and possibly other aromatic hydrocarbons in the air.
Highlights
In recent years, solving air pollution problems caused by volatile organic compounds (VOC) such as benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) has become increasingly important
The sensitivity of the sensing system based on the resistivity for benzene, toluene, and xylene was found to be in the range of 6−16, 18−47, and 22−76 Ω/ppm, respectively [3,4,5]
The polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) layer was deposited on the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) surface by a spin-coating technique
Summary
In recent years, solving air pollution problems caused by volatile organic compounds (VOC) such as benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) has become increasingly important. Recent work on a BTX vapor sensing system has been reported by many groups The detection of these compounds has been based on various sensing mechanisms including resistive [3,4,5], optical [6,7,8], and piezoelectric [9]. The sensitivity of the sensing system based on the resistivity for benzene, toluene, and xylene was found to be in the range of 6−16, 18−47, and 22−76 Ω/ppm, respectively [3,4,5]. By deposition an active film on the QCM chip surface, the capable of determining sub-nanogram mass changes [12,13]. BTX vapor sensing film withusing goodPVAc sensitivity and long-term stability in long-term ambient environments. Method film with good sensitivity and stability in ambient environments
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