title: Application of two-step laser mass spectrometry to cosmogeochemistry: direct analysis of meteorites.
abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in C1, C2, and C3 carbonaceous chondrites and in some ordinary chondrites have been directly analyzed by two-step laser desorption/ laser multiphoton ionization mass spectrometry, a selective and sensitive method requiring only milligram samples. At the ionization wavelength of 266 nanometers, parent ion peaks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons dominate the mass spectra. Quantitative analysis is possible; as an example, the concentration of phenanthrene in the Murchison meteorite was determined to be 5.0 parts per million.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zenobi
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bada
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Zare