Handheld Device for Selective Benzene Sensing over Toluene and Xylene
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Date
2022-02-02
Publication Type
Journal Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
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OPEN ACCESS
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Abstract
More than 1 million workers are exposed routinely to carcinogenic benzene, contained in various consumer products (e.g., gasoline, rubbers, and dyes) and released from combustion of organics (e.g., tobacco). Despite strict limits (e.g., 50 parts per billion (ppb) in the European Union), routine monitoring of benzene is rarely done since low-cost sensors lack accuracy. This work presents a compact, battery-driven device that detects benzene in gas mixtures with unprecedented selectivity (>200) over inorganics, ketones, aldehydes, alcohols, and even challenging toluene and xylene. This can be attributed to strong Lewis acid sites on a packed bed of catalytic WO3 nanoparticles that prescreen a chemoresistive Pd/SnO2 sensor. That way, benzene is detected down to 13 ppb with superior robustness to relative humidity (RH, 10-80%), fulfilling the strictest legal limits. As proof of concept, benzene is quantified in indoor air in good agreement (R-2 >= 0.94) with mass spectrometry. This device is readily applicable for personal exposure assessment and can assist the implementation of low-emission zones for sustainable environments.
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Publication status
published
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Editor
Book title
Journal / series
Volume
9 (4)
Pages / Article No.
2103853
Publisher
Wiley
Event
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
aromatics; benzene sensing; electronics; environmental; gas sensors; nanotechnology
Organisational unit
03510 - Pratsinis, Sotiris E. (emeritus) / Pratsinis, Sotiris E. (emeritus)
09794 - Güntner, Andreas / Güntner, Andreas
Notes
Funding
170729 - Integrated system for in operando characterization and development of portable breath analyzers (SNF)