Current Available Methods

1) Gas chromatograph (GC) is a type of chromatography used for separating and analysing compounds that can be vaporise without chemical decomposition. It can be used for the detection of naphthalene in mothballs.  Helium was used as the carrier gas at a constant inlet pressure of 70 kPa.

2) High Performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is a form of chromatography to separate compounds that are dissolved in solution. Compounds are separated by injecting the sample of mixture into column. The different components in the mixture pass through the column at different rates due to differences in their interaction with the stationary phase. This method can also be used for the detection of naphthalene in samples. 

Selected analysis method:  Gas chromatograph (GC) with Mass Selective Detector (MSD). GC is a method that we are more familiar with. Small amounts of samples are sufficient for analysis. Tentative identification can be made with the retention time matching of the sample with standards of naphthalene. Some researchers have also favoured GC as the method best suited for the rapid analysis and have conducted the experiment with it. This is because capillary columns is used allowing a higher carrier gas flow rate, thus less resistance in an open tubular capillary columns, resulting in less back pressure and fast analysis. Also MSD is used which enhance its capability to confirm identities of compound.