Microscale Gas Chromatography with Microsensor Array Detection: Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

The capability to analyze complex mixtures of airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at low concentrations; in situ; has implications for environmental monitoring; worker exposure assessment; biomedical diagnostics; and population security. Since standalone microsensor arrays lack this capability; upstream separation of mixture components; often preceded by preconcentration; is required. Although significant advances have been made via MEMS technologies in the development of microscale gas chromatographic (μGC) systems; many challenges remain. This presentation will review selected aspects of the state-of-the-art in μGC for VOC mixture analysis. Here; we emphasize our progress toward a wearable μGC prototype.

Keywords

• gas chromatography
• microGC
• sensor array
• VOC
• vapor mixture
• wearable