Miniature radio-frequency mobility analyzer as a gas chromatographic detector for oxygen-containing volatile organic compounds, pheromones and other insect attractants.
A high electric field, radio-frequency ion mobility spectrometry (RF-IMS) analyzer was used as a small detector in gas chromatographic separations of mixtures of volatile organic compounds including alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ethers, pheromones, and other chemical attractants for insects. The detector was equipped with a 2 mCi 63Ni ion source and the drift region for ion characterization was 5 mm wide, 15 mm long and 0.5 mm high. The rate of scanning for the compensation voltages was 60 V s(-1) and permitted four to six scans to be obtained across a capillary chromatographic elution profile for each component. The RF-IMS scans were characteristic of a compound and provided a second dimension of chemical identity to chromatographic retention adding specificity in instances of co-elution. Limits of detection were 1.6-55 x 10(-11) g with an average detection limit for all chemicals of 9.4 x 10(-11) g. Response to mass was linear from 2-50 x 10(-10) g with an average sensitivity of 4 pA ng(-1). Separations of pheromones and chemical attractants for insects illustrated the distinct patterns obtained from gas chromatography with RF-IMS scans in real time and suggest an analytical utility of the RF-IMS as a small, advanced detector for on-site gas chromatographs.
Eiceman
G A
GA
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces 88003-0001, USA. geiceman@nmsu.edu
Tadjikov
B
B
Krylov
E
E
Nazarov
E G
EG
Miller
R A
RA
Westbrook
J
J
Funk
P
P
D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis*; D010675:Pheromones / Q000032:analysis*; D011846:Radio Waves; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014835:Volatilization
D009930:Organic Chemicals; D010675:Pheromones; C010411:insect attractants; D010100:Oxygen