Ms Rachael Beale
Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK
 |
 |
Topic: Knowledge exchange of Oxygenated Volatile Organic Compounds (OVOCs) between PML and IFM-GEOMAR (Report)
Host: Christa Marandino, IFM-GEOMAR, Kiel, Germany
Date of STSM: 03/05/2010 to 07/05/2010
STSM code: 6337
The STSM will pay
particular attention to the differences in analytical techniques used by IFM-GEOMAR (Gas Chromatography / Mass Spectrometry) to help improve our current methods developed at PML (Membrane Inlet – Proton Transfer Reaction / Mass Spectrometry and Purge and Trap - Gas Chromatography / Flame Ionisation Detection). Their use of internal standards such as isotopically labelled acetone, to enhance the accuracy of the analyses will be discussed. The implementation of a similar internal standard system to OVOC methods at PML would significantly enhance the efficiency of the extraction procedure and is the next logical step of method development. IFM-GEOMARs expertise in this area will be invaluable.
Stability of storing samples is a problem for OVOC analysis. During the STSM a small, preliminary experiment of freezing samples will be conducted to investigate whether OVOC concentration is compromised during the procedure. If successful, freezing as a storage technique would significantly increase the number of samples that could be processed from any one sampling location.
The possibility of collaboration between the two institutes will also be initiated by planning work to inter-calibrate the three systems currently in use. This will include discussion on the compounds to be measured, sampling procedures and logistical organisation.