New CIA Advantage for Canister Analysis of Air Toxics

Markes International has announced the launch of an innovative new instrument, the CIA Advantage which will be featured at PITTCON 2012. Designed for the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air and gas that is sampled using canisters, the CIA Advantage allows analytical chemists to analyze a wide range of analyte concentrations without the need for dilution, saving time and meeting an industry need for more flexible solutions. Due to the inbuilt sorbent tube functionality, the instrument has the capacity to analyze an extended range of compounds while improving workflow productivity. CIA Advantage systems are fully compliant with the US Environmental Protection Agency Method TO-15, allowing users to have confidence in results. Markes will exhibit the newly launched instrument on booth #1780, 1781 at PITTCON 2012, Orlando, FL, March 11- March 15, 2012.

Traditionally canisters have been used to analyze ambient air samples, however, they are increasingly being applied to other analyses such as vapor intrusion and soil gas studies. As a result, there is a need for instrumentation that has the capacity to manage a wider range of sample concentrations. Additionally, the harmful effects of low-level exposure to hazardous air pollutants, such as ‘air toxics’, on human health are being increasingly recognized and consequently, analytical laboratories using canisters are required to detect ever-lower levels of analytes. The CIA Advantage is a single system that can handle component concentrations ranging from ppt to low-percent levels using a combination of loop-sampling, large-volume sampling and the ability to split sample flows, presenting a time-efficient and cost-effective solution.

With cryogen-free operation, the CIA Advantage avoids the cost of liquid cryogen while the heated internal lines and efficient purge steps combine to avoid the problem of carryover, even with less volatile analytes. This negligible carryover means that canister analysis can be confidently undertaken on samples of unknown concentration, facilitating automation and therefore increasing productivity. The CIA Advantage is equipped to prevent ice formation, creating a robust system and minimizing downtime.