The Micro-Chamber/Thermal Extractor™ (µ-CTE™) from Markes International is a compact and versatile cylindrical chamber system for testing the leaching of VOCs and SVOCs from a variety of materials, automotive finishes, consumer goods or foods.
Typical applications include: emissions screening, new product development, flavor characterization and routine production controls
Samples placed in the chambers are kept at a controlled temperature, during the sampling phase they are flushed with inert gas to facilitate the extraction of organic compounds from the matrix.
The gas enriched with the extracted components passes through a tube filled with a suitable adsorbent where the organic compounds are retained.
At the end of this phase the tube can be subjected to TD-GC/MS analysis.
Key features:
- Fast and efficient: the µ-CTE avoids the need for time-consuming sample preparation, and sampling is complete within minutes rather than days
- Cost-effective: using the µ-CTE saves time and money by minimising the need for third-party reference tests
- Wide analyte range: released volatiles are captured onto sorbent tubes (for VOCs and SVOCs) or DNPH cartridges (for formaldehyde), and all surfaces are inert-coated for compatibility with reactive or thermally labile chemicals
- Predict the results of reference tests: data from the µ-CTE has been shown to correlate with longer-term tests carried out using small chambers
- Method-compliant: the µ-CTE complies with international standard methods ISO 12219-3 (interior air of road vehicles) and ASTM D7706 (rapid screening of VOC emissions from products)
- Sampling versatility: as well as sampling emissions from bulk samples, a range of accessories allows sampling of surfaces or permeation through materials, humidification of air/gas, chamber calibration, and easy cutting of foam samples.