Sorbent Tubes
The sorbent in sorbent tubes is one of the types of sampling media used in air sampling, onto/into which the contaminant is collected. SKC produced the first commercial sorbent tube for NIOSH in 1973. Since then, SKC has remained on the leading edge of sorbent tube sampling by maintaining consistently high sorbent quality, expanding tube availability, and advancing sorbent technology.
Health and safety professionals around the globe at national and local levels choose SKC sorbent tubes for:
- Quality and reliability for compliance sampling
- Reproducible recoveries and low standard deviation
- Large lots with consistent results
- A complete line of tubes for occupational and environmental methods
- Fast delivery
- Responsive customer service and free technical support.
To select a tube for a specific compound refer to the SKC Sampling Guides or use our SKC online Hazard Database. We also have a useful leaflet on How To Use Sorbent Tubes.
Alternatively, see the tubes listed by sorbent type:

The Anasorb name is used for SKC proprietary sorbents of all types.

This sorbent has a high surface area for sampling a broad range of primarily non-polar compounds.

Tenax TA is a traditional sorbent for trapping medium to high boiling compounds; especially useful for low concentrations.

XAD resin is hydrophobic and used to adsorb soluble organic compounds.

Chromosorb is a porous polymer sorbent, used to trap low-boiling hydrocarbons, benzene, labile compounds, and volatile oxygenated compounds.

Polyurethane Foam (PUF) tubes are available in low volume (up to 24 hours) or high volume versions (for ambient air sampling).

Porapak sorbent tubes contain a range of porous polymer sorbents with increasing polarity, which is used for monitoring volatile nitriles.

The tubes combine sorbent and filter in one tube; a filter to trap aerosols and a two-section sorbent bed to adsorb vapours.

Used for the determination of sub-ppb VOC measurements in ambient air, and available as purged or unpurged.

The diffusive Thermal Desorption Tubes for Benzene and other VOCs is deployed for 14-day fenceline monitoring at multiple points around petroleum refinery sites.

Includes Carbon Beads, Drying Tubes, Firebrick, Florisil, Molecular Sieve, Oxidiser and Soda Lime tubes.

SKC can offer customised solvent desorption tubes and thermal desorption tubes.