Performance evaluation of two commercial chemiluminescence NOx analysers according to European Standard EN 14211

J Environ Monit. 2012 Feb;14(2):383-90. doi: 10.1039/c1em10601e. Epub 2011 Nov 23.

Abstract

According to Directive 2008/50/EC, all equipment used for NO(x) fixed measurements must comply with the reference method or equivalent by 11 June 2013. Up to that date, non-type-approved equipment can continue to be used in air monitoring networks and will probably also be used in air pollution studies even after that date. In this context, it is advisable to know how these "old" measuring instruments respond to the requirements of European Standard EN 14211: 2005: Ambient Air Quality--Standard method for the measurement of the concentration of nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen monoxide by chemiluminescence. In this work, we carry out a thorough performance evaluation of two commercial NO(x) analysers, both purchased before 2010, according to the mentioned Standard. Results show that water vapour interference is one of the most important disconformities with this Standard. The expanded uncertainty estimation of both analysers was below the quality objective of the above-mentioned Directive (15%); however, this calculation was performed by applying some modifications to the proposed model of Standard EN 14211. These modifications are also discussed in the paper.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants / analysis*
  • Air Pollutants / chemistry
  • Air Pollutants / standards
  • Air Pollution / analysis
  • Air Pollution / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Europe
  • Luminescent Measurements / instrumentation*
  • Luminescent Measurements / standards
  • Models, Chemical
  • Nitrogen Oxides / analysis*
  • Nitrogen Oxides / chemistry
  • Nitrogen Oxides / standards

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Nitrogen Oxides