Development of a monitoring tape for phosgene in air.

A porous cellulose tape impregnated with a processing solution that includes 4-p-nitroben-zylpyridine, N-benzylaniline and methanol is a highly sensitive means of detecting phosgene and maintains stable sensitivity for at least three months in air in a desiccator. When the sample including phosgene was passed through the tape, the color of tape changed to red. The degree of color change was proportional to the concentration of phosgene at a constant sampling time and flow rate. The degree of color change could be recorded by measuring the intensity of reflecting light (555 nm). The detection limit was 6 ppb for phosgene with a sampling time of 60 sec and a flow rate of 400 ml/min. Reproducibility tests showed that the relative standard deviation of response (n = 10) was 2.6% for 0.2 ppm phosgene. No interference was observed from ethanol (1 vol.%), trichloroethylene (1 vol.%), acetone (1 vol.%), carbon dioxide (4.9 vol.%), carbon monoxide (100 ppm), nitrogen dioxide (100 ppm), sulfur dioxide (50 ppm), hydrogen chloride gas (5 ppm), chlorine (3 ppm), acetic acid gas (24 ppm), ammonia (40 ppm), or benzyl chloride (20 ppm).