Nanocomposites help in taking samples from pollutants released in air

Iranian researchers from Hamedan University of Medical Sciences in association with their colleagues from Lorestan University succeeded in the production of a needle trap device for micro-extraction sampling of pollutants emitted in air by using silicate nanocomposite adsorbents and single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes as well as graphene nano-sheets. In this research, the needle trap device for micro-extraction sampling with silicate nanocomposite adsorbents and single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene nano-sheets was prepared and its performance was investigated to take samples from some important air pollutants, including volatile organohalogen compounds (HVOCs). Results of the research showed that NTD technique containing nanostructured adsorbents synthesized in this research is a strong and precise method to measure volatile organic compounds. The combination of this micro-extraction technique with device analytical methods creates a new method with high sensitivity and accuracy in characterization and determination of the amount of volatile organohalogen compounds in the air. Since the technique has non-equilibrium state but is active and is fully compatible with device analytical methods, needle trap device method is a very good method to refine environmental pollutants to the extent that it decreases the cost of measurement, covers the problems of other methods, and is recommended to be used for the purification of the environment. Nanostructured adsorbents synthesized in this research have very desirable performance in comparison with the expensive commercial adsorbents, which require a lot of money due to the monopoly in their production. Researchers believe that harmful chemicals present in industrial and working places are the major cause of diseases and malfunctions in human labor active in the country, and they impose high costs to the society. The plan has applications in all industries and industrial places were the staff deal with pollutant chemicals dispersed in the air. One of the results of the recent study has been published on 27 June 2013 in Analytica Chimica Acta, vol. 785, pp. 67-74.