Thermal Desorption Accessories & Consumables

Importance of the topic

Thermal desorption (TD) is a versatile, solvent-free sample-preparation technique that allows quantitative preconcentration and clean introduction of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs) into gas chromatography (GC) or GC–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) systems. It addresses key challenges in environmental monitoring, occupational hygiene, material emissions testing, food and fragrance profiling, and forensic or defence applications, delivering high sensitivity, reproducibility and compliance with international standard methods.

Objectives and overview

This summary reviews the comprehensive range of TD solutions offered by Markes International, from sorbent tubes and sampling accessories to advanced autosamplers and software tools. The goal is to optimize low-ppb to high-ppm analysis of air, gas, solid and liquid matrices under trace-level and multi-component screening conditions.

Methodology and instrumentation

• Sorbent tubes: stainless steel, inert-coated steel and glass formats, including SafeLok diffusion-locking and TubeTAG® RFID tracking technologies; multi-bed configurations for tailored analyte ranges using polymers (Tenax), graphitized carbons, carbon molecular sieves and zeolites.
• Sampling accessories: pumped (active) sampling pumps, diffusive (passive) samplers, Easy-VOC® grab samplers, MTS-32™ sequential samplers and VOC-Mole™ soil probes; canister sampling interface and diluter systems for TO-14/TO-15 methods.
• Autosamplers and desorbers: UNITY® 2 and UNITY-X, TD-100, ULTRA® 2, ULTRA-X and TT24-7 continuous TD system, featuring cryogen-free cold trapping, electronic split control, dry-purge, re-collection options and extended canister or headspace integration with HS5-TD™, U-INLET™ and µ-CTE™ modules.
• Software: ClearView™ dynamic baseline compensation and TargetView™ deconvolution and data-mining for rapid identification and quantitation of trace components in complex chromatograms.

Main results and discussion

Markes’ patented DiffLok® cap and SafeLok® tube designs preserve sample integrity before and after TD, minimizing diffusional losses and contamination. TubeTAG enables robust sample tracking. Automated IS/dry-purge (ISDP) functionality and dual mass-flow-controller options deliver precise calibration and method flexibility. Hardware options such as multi-tube conditioners (TC-20) and gas purifiers ensure optimal instrument performance and low-background operation. Software tools provide up to 10- to 100-fold sensitivity gains and streamline data analysis.

Benefits and practical applications of the method

• Environmental monitoring: low-ppt VOC screening, stack testing, fenceline surveys, soil gas intrusion, air toxics compliance with TO-17.
• Occupational hygiene: personal exposure assessment via passive or active tube sampling and breath analysis (Bio-VOC™).
• Material testing: surface and bulk emissions of building products, automotive interiors (ISO 16000-6, VDA 278), residual solvent/content analysis via direct desorption or µ-CTE.
• Food and fragrance: aroma profiling of dairy, produce, beverages; off-odour detection in water or packaging.
• Defence and forensics: CWA detection, permeation studies, arson or drug residue screening, compliance with TO-15 and forensic protocols.

Future trends and possibilities

Advances in microfabricated sorbent materials, miniaturized TD devices and real-time NRT systems (e.g. TT24-7) will expand on-site monitoring. Integration with IoT and data-analytics platforms promises automated method optimization and predictive maintenance. Further refinements in software-driven deconvolution and AI-based compound identification will enhance non-target screening and facilitate large-scale environmental and clinical studies.

Conclusion

Markes International’s end-to-end TD solutions — from sorbents and sampling tools, through cryogen-free autosamplers, to dedicated software — offer unmatched performance, flexibility and compliance with global standards. These integrated technologies enable laboratories across research, industry and defence to achieve reproducible, high-sensitivity analysis of trace organics in air, materials and biological matrices.

Reference

No specific literature references were provided.