Desorption/Ionization Fluence Thresholds and Improved Mass Spectral Consistency Measured Using a Flattop Laser Profile in the Bioaerosol Mass Spectrometry of Single Bacillus Endospores
Bioaerosol mass spectrometry (BAMS) is being developed to analyze and identify biological aerosols in real-time. Mass spectra of individual Bacillus endospores were measured here with a bipolar aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer in which molecular desorption and ionization were produced using a single laser pulse from a Q-switched, frequency-quadrupled Nd:YAG laser that was modified to have an approximately flattop profile. The flattened laser profile allowed the minimum fluence required to desorb and ionize significant numbers of ions from single aerosol particles to be determined. For Bacillus spores this threshold had a mean value of approximately 1 nJ/{micro}m{sup 2} (0.1 J/cm{sup 2}). Thresholds for individual spores, however, could apparently deviate by 20% or more from the mean. Threshold distributions for clumps of MS2 bacteriophage and bovine serum albumin were subsequently determined. Finally, the flattened profile was observed to increase the reproducibility of single spore mass spectra. This is consistent with the general conclusions of our earlier paper on the fluence dependence of single spore mass spectra and is particularly significant because it is expected to enable more robust differentiation and identification of single bioaerosol particles.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 881890
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JRNL-208501; TRN: US200613%%178
- Journal Information:
- Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 77, Issue 22
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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