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Abstract
A real time trace gas detector for benzene is demonstrated. The measurement system
takes an advantage of modest enrichment through short adsorption periods to reach a
ppt-level detection limit with a sampling cycle of 90 s, which includes sample adsorption,
desorption and a spectroscopic measurement. Benzene is collected on Tenax TA sorbent
for 30 s and then detected from the enriched samples with photoacoustic spectroscopy. A
high sensitivity is achieved using cantilever-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy and a
continuous-wave quantum cascade laser emitting at the wavelength 14.8 μm, which corresponds
to the absorption wavelength of the strongest benzene infrared band. We reach a
detection limit of 150 ppt of benzene, over one sampling cycle. Interference from humidity
and other common petrochemicals is evaluated.
