Improved method to detect trace amounts of gases in a carbon dioxide atmosphere

A method is described for concentrating and quantifying trace amounts of alkanes and alkenes, produced during phosphonate biodegradation, in a carbon dioxide atmosphere. The method is precise, repeatable, fast and cheap. Compared to direct headspace analysis, the variance in the quantification was reduced up to 50 times and the detection limit lowered 20 to 500 times. Quantification was independent of the pressure in the experimental tubes, the amount of dissolved gases in the medium, and the temperature.