Sorption tube atmospheric sampling system

Claim 1

A sorption tube atmospheric sampling system comprising a removable sorption tube, means operably connected to said sorption tube for drawing a preselected amount of air through said sorption tube in order to trap within said sorption tube contaminants in the atmosphere, means operably connected to said drawing means for regulating the amount of air drawn through said sorption tube, means operably connected to said regulating means for monitoring the amount of air drawn through said sorption tube, and a thermal desorption block for use with said sorption tube during removal and testing of said contaminants contained within said sorption tube, said sorption tube being in the form of a hollow, elongated element having a preselected tubular configuration made of a rigid, substantially non-corrosive material, said preselected tubular configuration conforming to the interior configuration of said thermal desorption block, said hollow, tubular-shaped element having a high polished interior surface, a fitting being attached to each end of said element, a coupling being removably mounted within each of said fittings, each of said couplings containing therein a stainless steel screen, a sorbent material being located within said hollow, tubular-shaped element between said screens for trapping therein said contaminants found in the atmosphere, a vacuum coupling being connected to at least one of said couplings containing a screen therein, said vacuum coupling being removably securable to said means for drawing a preselected amount of said air through said sorption tube during said contaminant trapping procedure and to a spectrometry analysis apparatus when said sorption tube is in position within said thermal desorption block during said contaminant removal and testing procedure.