A vinyl acetate sensor based on cataluminescence on MgO nanoparticles

A novel cataluminescence (CTL) sensor using nanosized MgO as the sensing material for determination of the trace of vinyl acetate in air was proposed in the present study. Eight catalysts were examined and the results showed that the CTL intensity on MgO nanoparticles was the strongest. Under the optimized conditions, the linear range of the CTL intensity versus the concentration of vinyl acetate vapor was 2–2000 ppm with a detection limit of 1.0 ppm (3σ) and a relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) of 1.18% for five times determination of 1000 ppm vinyl acetate. There were no CTL emissions when foreign substances, including ammonia, benzene, acetic acid, formaldehyde and ethyl acetate, passed through the sensor. CTL emissions were detected for methanol, ethanol and acetaldehyde at levels around 5.5%, 10.1% and 13.4% compared with the responsed vinyl acetate. The sensor had a long lifetime more than 100 h.