Use of Porous Polymer Sorbents for Concentrating Traces of Organic Compounds from Gases or Liquids

The advantages and disadvantages of the adsorption method of concentrating organic trace impurities of various types from air or from liquids are discussed. The main types of sorbent currently used are examined, and their adsorption characteristics are compared, with special emphasis on porous polymer sorbents. The special features of these polymers when used as concentrators are stressed, and interrelationships are established between the characteristics of the sorbents and their effectiveness in the sorption of different classes of organic compounds, and between their adsorption capacity (or percentage extraction) and the concentration conditions. Problems in the storage of samples concentrated on polymer sorbents are discussed. Some examples of the practical use of polymer sorbents for concentrating organic trace impurities from air or from liquid media are given. 106 references.