• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.681-692
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• 2013

We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Giggenbach bottle method and develop the related pretreatment and analytical methods using artificial fumarolic gases. The artificial fumarolic gases were generated by mixing $CO_2$, CO, $H_2S$, $SO_2$, $H_2$, and $CH_4$ gas streams with a $N_2$ stream sparged through an acidic medium containing HCl and HF, with their compositions varied by adjusting the gas flow rates. The resultant fumarolic gases were collected into an evacuated bottle partially filled with a NaOH absorption solution. While non-condensible gases such as CO, $H_2S$, and $CH_4$ accumulated in the headspace of the bottle, acidic components including $CO_2$, $SO_2$, HCl, and HF that were dissolved into the alkaline solution. Like other acidic components, $H_2S$ also dissolved into the solution, but it reacted with dissolved $Cd^{2+}$ to precipitate as CdS when $Cd(CH_3COO)_2$ was added. The non-condensible gases were analyzed on a gas chromatography. Then, CdS precipitates were separated from the alkaline solution by filtration, and they were pretreated with $H_2O_2$ to oxidize CdS-bound sulfide into sulfate. In addition, a portion of the solution was also pretreated with $H_2O_2$ to oxidize sulfite to sulfate. Following the pretreatment, the resultant samples were analyzed for $SO_4^{2-}$, $Cl^-$ and $F^-$ on an ion chromatography. In the meanwhile, dissolved $CO_2$ was analyzed on a total organic carbon-inorganic carbon analyzer without such pretreatment. According to our experimental results, the measured concentrations of the fumarolic gases were shown to be proportional to the gas flow rates, indicating that the Giggenbach bottle method is adequate for monitoring volcanic gas. The pretreatment and analytical methods employed in this study may also enhance the accuracy and reproducibility of the Giggenbach bottle method.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.415-429
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• 2012

The monitoring methods for volcanic gases are divided into remote sensing and direct gas sampling approaches. In the remote sensing approach, COSPEC and Li-COR are used to measure $SO_2$ and $CO_2$, respectively, with FT-IR for detection of a range of volcanic gases. However, the remote sensing approach is not applicable to Mt. Baegdu, where the atmospheric contents of volcanic gases are very low as a result of the strong interaction of volcanic gases with the nearby surface water and groundwater. On the other hand, the direct gas sampling approach involves the collection of volcanic gases from volcanic vents or fumaroles and the subsequent laboratory analysis, thus making it possible to measure even very low levels of volcanic gases. The direct sampling approach can be subdivided into the evacuated bottle method and the flow-through bottle method. In applying both methods, sampling bottles typically contain reaction media to trap specific volcanic gases. For example, NaOH solution(Giggenbach bottle), $NH_4OH$ solution, and acid condensates have been experimented for volcanic gas sampling. Once taken from vents and fumaroles, the samples of volcanic gases are pretreated and subsequently analyzed for volcanic gases using GC, IC, HPLC, titrimetry, TOC-IC, or ICP-MS. Recently, there has been the increasing number of evidences on the potential volcanic activity of Mt. Baegdu. However, little technical development has been made for the sampling and analysis of volcanic gases in Korea. In the present work, we reviewed various volcanic gas monitoring methods, and provided the detailed information on the monitoring methods applied to Mt. Baegdu.