Evaluation of the suitability of sampling on Tenax TA and polydimethylsiloxane for the analysis of combustion gases

Two sorbents commonly employed for air sampling were selected for the evaluation of their suitability for the analysis of combustion gases namely Tenax TA as adsorbent and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as absorbent. Target compounds were selected among the gaseous combustion products of polyurethane foam and fire-retarded polystyrene. The combustion gases were generated by burning test materials in the flame of a Bunsen burner. Gaseous combustion products were sampled simultaneously with the two sorbents using a two-way adapter, thereby exposing each sorbent to the same combustion gas atmosphere. Special attention was given to the deterioration encountered in the Tenax TA performance upon repeated combustion gas exposure, limiting its use for sampling reactive atmospheres.