Analysis of organic aerosols using a micro-orifice volatilization impactor coupled to an atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometer

Development of an automatic measurement system using atmospheric pressure photoionization ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry and application for on-line analysis of particulate matter

On-line chemical characterization of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) with soft ionization technique and ultrahigh-resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHRMS) provides molecular information of organic constituents in real time. Here we describe the development and application of an automatic measurement system that incorporates PM2.5 sampling, thermal desorption, atmospheric pressure photoionization, and UHRMS analysis. Molecular formulas of detected organic compounds were deducted from the accurate (±10 ppm) molecular weights obtained at a mass resolution of 100,000, allowing the identification of small organic compounds in PM2.5. Detection efficiencies of 28 standard compounds were determined and we found a high sensitivity and selectivity towards organic amines with limits of detection below 10 pg. As a proof of principle, PM2.5 samples collected off-line in winter in the urban area of Beijing were analyzed using the Ionization Module and HRMS of the system. The automatic system was then applied to conduct on-line measurements during the summer time at a time resolution of 2 hr. The detected organic compounds comprised mainly CHON and CHN compounds below 350 m/z. Pronounced seasonal variations in elemental composition were observed with shorter carbon backbones and higher O/C ratios in summer than that in winter. This result is consistent with stronger photochemical reactions and thus a higher oxidation state of organics in summer. Diurnal variation in signal intensity of each formula provides crucial information to reveal its source and formation pathway. In summary, the automatic measurement system serves as an important tool for the on-line characterization and identification of organic species in PM2.5.

Critical assessment of ionization patterns and applications of ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry using FAPA-MS

Ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MS) has gained growing interest during the last decade due to its high analytical performance and yet simplicity. Here, one of the recently developed ambient desorption/ionization MS sources, the flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow (FAPA) source, was investigated in detail regarding background ions and typical ionization patterns in the positive as well as the negative ion mode for a variety of compound classes, comprising alkanes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, organic peroxides and alkaloids. A broad range of signals for adducts and losses was found, besides the usually emphasized detection of quasimolecular ions, i.e. [M + H](+) and [M - H](-) in the positive and the negative mode, respectively. It was found that FAPA-MS is best suited for polar analytes containing nitrogen and/or oxygen functionalities, e.g. carboxylic acids, with low molecular weights and relatively high vapor pressures. In addition, the source was used in proof-of-principle studies, illustrating the capabilities and limitations of the technique: Firstly, traces of cocaine were detected and unambiguously identified on euro banknotes using FAPA ionization in combination with tandem MS, suggesting a correlation between cocaine abundance and age of the banknote. Secondly, FAPA-MS was used for the identification of acidic marker compounds in organic aerosol samples, indicating yet-undiscovered matrix and sample surface effects of ionization pathways in the afterglow region.

Real-Time Analysis of Ambient Organic Aerosols Using Aerosol Flowing Atmospheric-Pressure Afterglow Mass Spectrometry (AeroFAPA-MS)

Organic compounds contribute to a major fraction of atmospheric aerosols and have significant impacts on climate and human health. However, because of their chemical complexity, their measurement remains a major challenge for analytical instrumentation. Here we present the development and characterization of a new soft ionization technique that allows mass spectrometric real-time detection of organic compounds in aerosols. The aerosol flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow (AeroFAPA) ion source is based on a helium glow discharge plasma, which generates excited helium species and primary reagent ions. Ionization of the analytes occurs in the afterglow region after thermal desorption and produces mainly intact quasimolecular ions, facilitating the interpretation of the acquired mass spectra. We illustrate that changes in aerosol composition and concentration are detected on the time scale of seconds and in the ng m(-3) range. Additionally, the successful application of AeroFAPA-MS during a field study in a mixed forest region is presented. In general, the observed compounds are in agreement with previous offline studies; however, the acquisition of chemical information and compound identification is much faster. The results demonstrate that AeroFAPA-MS is a suitable tool for organic aerosol analysis and reveal the potential of this technique to enable new insights into aerosol formation, growth, and transformation in the atmosphere.