A novel gaseous acetaldehyde sensor utilizing cataluminescence on nanosized BaCO3

A cataluminescence (CTL) sensor using nanosized BaCO3 as sensing material for the determination of trace acetaldehyde in air samples was developed. The proposed sensor showed high sensitivity and selectivity to acetaldehyde at optimal temperature of 225 °C. Quantitative analysis was performed at a wavelength of 555 nm. The linear range of CTL intensity versus concentration of acetaldehyde is 2–2000 ppm (r=0.9981, n=8), with a detection limit of 0.5 ppm (signal-to-noise ratio = 3). None or only very low levels of significant interference were observed while the foreign substances such as cyclohexane, n-hexane, carbon tetrachloride, ammonia, methylbenzene, chloroform, benzene, formaldehyde, ethanol and carbon dioxide are passing through the sensor. There was no interference due to the 20 000 ppm water vapor in the determination of 200 ppm acetaldehyde vapor. The stability of the sensor was tested by continuous reaction with acetaldehyde for 100 h. The response time of the sensor is less than 50 s.