A novel gas sampling introduction interface for fast analysis of volatile organic compounds using radiofrequency pulsed glow discharge time of flight mass spectrometry

J Fandino; M Bouza; J Pisonero; D Blanco; A Sanz-Medel; N Bordel

doi:10.1016/j.aca.2018.08.013

A novel gas sampling introduction interface for fast analysis of volatile organic compounds using radiofrequency pulsed glow discharge time of flight mass spectrometry

Anal Chim Acta. 2018 Dec 14:1038:59-66. doi: 10.1016/j.aca.2018.08.013. Epub 2018 Aug 7.

Authors

J Fandino¹, M Bouza², J Pisonero³, D Blanco⁴, A Sanz-Medel², N Bordel¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physics, University of Oviedo, c/ Federico García Lorca 18, 33007, Oviedo, Spain.
² Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, University of Oviedo, Avda. Julián Clavería 8, 33006, Oviedo, Spain.
³ Department of Physics, University of Oviedo, c/ Federico García Lorca 18, 33007, Oviedo, Spain. Electronic address: pisonerojorge@uniovi.es.
⁴ Department of Construction and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Oviedo, c/Pedro Puig Adam, 33203, Gijón, Spain.

PMID: 30278908
DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2018.08.013

Abstract

An improved gas sample introduction interface is developed and characterized for gas chromatography coupling and for direct injection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in a pulsed glow discharge (pulsed-GD) ion source coupled to a time of flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS) that is typically used for direct solid analysis. The novel interface allows the introduction of the analytes in the flowing afterglow region of the GD (a few mm away from the negative glow region) to reduce plasma quenching effects. Analyte ion signals are acquired in the temporal afterglow region, where low fragmentation of the molecular species is produced, providing useful qualitative and quantitative molecular information (e.g. molecular ion). Analytical capabilities of the pulsed-GD ion source with the novel gas sampling interface provides improved performance compared to previous designs. In particular, limits of detection for the analysis of VOCs in air were below (better) that legally established limits according to Directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament.

Keywords: Air analysis; Direct injection; Gas chromatography; Glow discharge; Mass spectrometry; Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) analysis.