MEMS-Based Micropacked Thermal Desorption GC/PID for In-Field Volatile Organic Compound Profiling from Hot Mix Asphalt
Background: In response to the growing demand for the real-time, in-field characterization of odorous anthropogenic emissions, this study develops and uses a MEMS-based micropacked thermal desorption Gas Chromatography system coupled with a PhotoIonization Detector (GC/PID) for Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA)...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| author | Stefano Dugheri Giovanni Cappelli Riccardo Gori Stefano Zampolli Niccolò Fanfani Ettore Guerriero Donato Squillaci Ilaria Rapi Lorenzo Venturini Alexander Pittella Chiara Vita Fabio Cioni Domenico Cipriano Mieczyslaw Sajewicz Ivan Elmi Luca Masini Simone De Sio Antonio Baldassarre Veronica Traversini Nicola Mucci |
| author_facet | Stefano Dugheri Giovanni Cappelli Riccardo Gori Stefano Zampolli Niccolò Fanfani Ettore Guerriero Donato Squillaci Ilaria Rapi Lorenzo Venturini Alexander Pittella Chiara Vita Fabio Cioni Domenico Cipriano Mieczyslaw Sajewicz Ivan Elmi Luca Masini Simone De Sio Antonio Baldassarre Veronica Traversini Nicola Mucci |
| author_sort | Stefano Dugheri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: In response to the growing demand for the real-time, in-field characterization of odorous anthropogenic emissions, this study develops and uses a MEMS-based micropacked thermal desorption Gas Chromatography system coupled with a PhotoIonization Detector (GC/PID) for Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) plant emissions. Methods: The innovative portable device, Pyxis GC, enables the high-sensitivity profiling of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), particularly aldehydes and ketones, with sub-ppb detection limits using ambient air as the carrier gas. A comprehensive experimental design optimized the preconcentration parameters, resulting in an efficient, green analytical method evaluated via the Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI). Sorbent comparison showed quinoxaline-bridged cavitands outperform the conventional materials. Results and conclusions: The method was successfully deployed on site for source-specific sampling at an HMA plant, generating robust emission fingerprints. To assess environmental impact, a Generalized Additive Model (GAM) was developed, incorporating the process temperature and Sum of Odour Activity Values (SOAV) to predict odour concentrations. The model revealed a significant non-linear influence of temperature on emissions and validated its predictive capability despite the limited sample size. This integrated analytical–statistical approach demonstrates the utility of MEMS technology for real-time air quality assessment and odour dispersion modelling, offering a powerful tool for environmental monitoring and regulatory compliance. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a93034e73b694b97a838b4994a50cc7c |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2297-8739 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Separations |
| spelling | doaj-art-a93034e73b694b97a838b4994a50cc7c2025-08-20T03:12:18ZengMDPI AGSeparations2297-87392025-05-0112513310.3390/separations12050133MEMS-Based Micropacked Thermal Desorption GC/PID for In-Field Volatile Organic Compound Profiling from Hot Mix AsphaltStefano Dugheri0Giovanni Cappelli1Riccardo Gori2Stefano Zampolli3Niccolò Fanfani4Ettore Guerriero5Donato Squillaci6Ilaria Rapi7Lorenzo Venturini8Alexander Pittella9Chiara Vita10Fabio Cioni11Domenico Cipriano12Mieczyslaw Sajewicz13Ivan Elmi14Luca Masini15Simone De Sio16Antonio Baldassarre17Veronica Traversini18Nicola Mucci19Department of Life Science, Health, and Health Professions, Link Campus University, 00165 Roma, ItalyDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, ItalyNational Research Council of Italy, Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, 00010 Montelibretti, ItalyDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, ItalyNational Research Council of Italy, Institute on Atmospheric Pollution (CNR-IIA), 00185 Roma, ItalyDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, ItalyQuality of Goods and Product Reliability Laboratory, PIN Foundation, Prato Campus, University of Florence, Piazza dell’Università 1, 59100 Prato, ItalyRegional Agency for Environmental Protection of Tuscany, 50144 Florence, ItalyEnergy System Research (RSE), 20134 Milan, ItalyInstitute of Chemistry, University of Silesia, 40-006 Katowice, PolandNational Research Council of Italy, Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, 00010 Montelibretti, ItalyNational Research Council of Italy, Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, 00010 Montelibretti, ItalyDepartment of Occupational Medicine, University of Rome “Sapienza”, 00185 Roma, ItalyDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, ItalyBackground: In response to the growing demand for the real-time, in-field characterization of odorous anthropogenic emissions, this study develops and uses a MEMS-based micropacked thermal desorption Gas Chromatography system coupled with a PhotoIonization Detector (GC/PID) for Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) plant emissions. Methods: The innovative portable device, Pyxis GC, enables the high-sensitivity profiling of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), particularly aldehydes and ketones, with sub-ppb detection limits using ambient air as the carrier gas. A comprehensive experimental design optimized the preconcentration parameters, resulting in an efficient, green analytical method evaluated via the Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI). Sorbent comparison showed quinoxaline-bridged cavitands outperform the conventional materials. Results and conclusions: The method was successfully deployed on site for source-specific sampling at an HMA plant, generating robust emission fingerprints. To assess environmental impact, a Generalized Additive Model (GAM) was developed, incorporating the process temperature and Sum of Odour Activity Values (SOAV) to predict odour concentrations. The model revealed a significant non-linear influence of temperature on emissions and validated its predictive capability despite the limited sample size. This integrated analytical–statistical approach demonstrates the utility of MEMS technology for real-time air quality assessment and odour dispersion modelling, offering a powerful tool for environmental monitoring and regulatory compliance.https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/12/5/133gas chromatographyodouremissionMEMSVOCshot mix asphalt |
| spellingShingle | Stefano Dugheri Giovanni Cappelli Riccardo Gori Stefano Zampolli Niccolò Fanfani Ettore Guerriero Donato Squillaci Ilaria Rapi Lorenzo Venturini Alexander Pittella Chiara Vita Fabio Cioni Domenico Cipriano Mieczyslaw Sajewicz Ivan Elmi Luca Masini Simone De Sio Antonio Baldassarre Veronica Traversini Nicola Mucci MEMS-Based Micropacked Thermal Desorption GC/PID for In-Field Volatile Organic Compound Profiling from Hot Mix Asphalt Separations gas chromatography odour emission MEMS VOCs hot mix asphalt |
| title | MEMS-Based Micropacked Thermal Desorption GC/PID for In-Field Volatile Organic Compound Profiling from Hot Mix Asphalt |
| title_full | MEMS-Based Micropacked Thermal Desorption GC/PID for In-Field Volatile Organic Compound Profiling from Hot Mix Asphalt |
| title_fullStr | MEMS-Based Micropacked Thermal Desorption GC/PID for In-Field Volatile Organic Compound Profiling from Hot Mix Asphalt |
| title_full_unstemmed | MEMS-Based Micropacked Thermal Desorption GC/PID for In-Field Volatile Organic Compound Profiling from Hot Mix Asphalt |
| title_short | MEMS-Based Micropacked Thermal Desorption GC/PID for In-Field Volatile Organic Compound Profiling from Hot Mix Asphalt |
| title_sort | mems based micropacked thermal desorption gc pid for in field volatile organic compound profiling from hot mix asphalt |
| topic | gas chromatography odour emission MEMS VOCs hot mix asphalt |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/12/5/133 |
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