Portable and remote electrochemical sensing system for detection of tricresyl phosphate in gas phase

A portable electrochemical sensor has been developed for determination of tricresyl phosphate (TCP) in gas phase. An alkaline catalyst column was used in an automatic TCP sampling system where gasified TCP was hydrolysed to cresol, making it electrochemically detectable. Hydrolysates were then detected in the flow injection analysis (FIA). Amperometric measurements were performed utilizing the unicell, which includes a glassy carbon working electrode, a silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) reference electrode and a stainless steel auxiliary electrode. The response of the system was linear in the TCP concentration range of 5–300 ppb in the gas phase. Commercial jet engine oils containing small amounts of TCP were also analyzed and resulted in signals similar to those from the TCP test and calibration samples.