LI-G2004 Ethylene Oxide Analyzer

Ethylene oxide (EtO) is an important carcinogen widely used in medical sterilization centers and industrial chemical plants. It is mainly used as a sterilizing agent for commercial medical sterilizers and the food industry. It is also an intermediate product of ethylene glycol, ethoxylate, and ethanolamine in chemical manufacturing.

Why monitor EtO at the fence?

Recently, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that the credibility of EtO's hazard profile as' carcinogenic to humans' is high, and is seeking to lower the human exposure limit for EtO from ppm (parts per million) to a safer ppb (parts per billion) value.

Facilities that emit EtO into the ambient air are located near businesses, schools, and residential areas, and people may unknowingly inhale small amounts of the released gas. As a carcinogen, inhaling EtO increases the risk of certain types of cancer. To ensure the safety of surrounding communities, it is necessary to closely monitor the EtO levels around emission facilities to ensure compliance with regulatory limits for this harmful gas in the ambient air.

How to measure ethylene oxide currently?

The current EPA methods are TO-15 and TO-15A:

Collect discrete air samples into Summa tanks and transport them to the laboratory for analysis.

The substance inside the tank is adsorbed by a solid adsorbent, which pre concentrates volatile organic compounds (such as EtO) and some common air components (such as CO2).

Then use low-temperature cooling to remove most of the CO2, and then separate the compounds through a gas chromatography column.

Measure EtO concentration by selecting ions or scanning mass spectrometry.

This multi-step method has several limitations and is difficult to meet the emerging demand of EPA for measuring low ppt level EtO. It has cross interference with other gases, and there are issues with the natural generation of EtO during storage. Additionally, due to the need to transport air samples to the laboratory for preparation and analysis, it can take several days or even weeks.

Technical indicators