title: Determination of C1-C4 alkanes by ion mobility spectrometry.
abstract: Flight instrumentation for the analyses of extraterrestrial environments must often perform under severely restricted conditions.  Often, the detection and identification of a multitude of chemical species is required to fulfill the scientific objectives of the mission.  It is therefore important that the analytical instrumentation have universal response.  The gas chromatograph-ion mobility spectrometer (GC-IMS) has the potential to provide the sample separation, identification and sensitivity necessary for a successful analysis.  However, the IMS has poor sensitivity for the C1-C4 alkanes.  The abundance of these molecules at various extraterrestrial sites is often of great importance to exobiologists.  This study focuses on optimizing IMS sample ionization mechanisms for the C1-C4 alkanes and other hydrocarbons of interest to exobiology.
authors.affiliation: NASA-Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035, USA.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Kojiro
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Stimac
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Wernlund
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Humphry
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis*; D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D002845:Chromatography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D018559:Exobiology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D006371:Helium / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D016082:Solar System; D013026:Space Flight / Q000295:instrumentation; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States; D018557:United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D006371:Helium; D002244:Carbon