Perfluorocarbon tracer

Perfluorocarbon tracers (PFTs) are a range of perfluorocarbons used in tracer applications. They are used by releasing the PFT at a certain point, and determining the concentration of that PFT at another set of points, allowing the flow from the source to the points to be determined. Perfluorocarbon tracers (PFTs) are a range of perfluorocarbons used in tracer applications. They are used by releasing the PFT at a certain point, and determining the concentration of that PFT at another set of points, allowing the flow from the source to the points to be determined. PFTs are believed non-toxic and chemically inert, clear, colourless liquids. They are non-flammable and are not radioactive. They do not occur in nature at all, so background levels are very low, but they can be detected at extremely low concentrations. There is a range of PFTs available commercially, allowing the experimenter to release different PFTs at the same time. Cyclic perfluorocarbons, such as perfluoromethylhexane and perfluoro-1,3-dimethylcyclohexane, are generally believed to be better than acyclic ones as they can be detected at lower levels.