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Title: Real-time chemical analysis of aerosol particles

Abstract

An important aspect of environmental atmospheric monitoring requires the characterization of airborne microparticles and aerosols. Unfortunately, traditional sample collection and handling techniques are prone to contamination and interference effects that can render an analysis invalid. These problems can be avoided by using real-time atmospheric sampling techniques followed by immediate mass spectrometric analysis. The former is achieved in these experiments via a two state differential pumping scheme that is attached directly to a commercially available quadruple ion trap mass spectrometer. Particles produced by an external particle generator enter the apparatus and immediately pass through two cw laser/fiberoptic based detectors positioned two centimeters apart. Timing electronics measure the time between detection events, estimate the particles arrival in the center of the ion trap and control the firing of a YAG laser. Ions produced when the UV laser light ablates the particle`s surface are stored by the ion trap for mass analysis. Ion trap mass spectrometers have several advantages over conventional time-of-flight instruments. First, they are capable of MS/MS analysis by the collisional dissociation of a stored species, This permits complete chemical characterization of airborne samples. Second, ion traps are small and lend themselves to portable, field oriented applications.

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
87078
Report Number(s):
CONF-950226-46
ON: DE95008971
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-84OR21400
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: SPIE `95: SPIE conference on optics, electro-optics, and laser application in science, engineering and medicine, San Jose, CA (United States), 5-14 Feb 1995; Other Information: PBD: [1995]
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 40 CHEMISTRY; AEROSOLS; QUALITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; PARTICULATES; AIR POLLUTION; AIR POLLUTION MONITORING; MASS SPECTROMETERS; REAL TIME SYSTEMS

Citation Formats

Yang, M, Whitten, W B, and Ramsey, J M. Real-time chemical analysis of aerosol particles. United States: N. p., 1995. Web.
Yang, M, Whitten, W B, & Ramsey, J M. Real-time chemical analysis of aerosol particles. United States.
Yang, M, Whitten, W B, and Ramsey, J M. 1995. "Real-time chemical analysis of aerosol particles". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/87078.
@article{osti_87078,
title = {Real-time chemical analysis of aerosol particles},
author = {Yang, M and Whitten, W B and Ramsey, J M},
abstractNote = {An important aspect of environmental atmospheric monitoring requires the characterization of airborne microparticles and aerosols. Unfortunately, traditional sample collection and handling techniques are prone to contamination and interference effects that can render an analysis invalid. These problems can be avoided by using real-time atmospheric sampling techniques followed by immediate mass spectrometric analysis. The former is achieved in these experiments via a two state differential pumping scheme that is attached directly to a commercially available quadruple ion trap mass spectrometer. Particles produced by an external particle generator enter the apparatus and immediately pass through two cw laser/fiberoptic based detectors positioned two centimeters apart. Timing electronics measure the time between detection events, estimate the particles arrival in the center of the ion trap and control the firing of a YAG laser. Ions produced when the UV laser light ablates the particle`s surface are stored by the ion trap for mass analysis. Ion trap mass spectrometers have several advantages over conventional time-of-flight instruments. First, they are capable of MS/MS analysis by the collisional dissociation of a stored species, This permits complete chemical characterization of airborne samples. Second, ion traps are small and lend themselves to portable, field oriented applications.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/87078}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}

Conference:
Other availability
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