Hand-portable gas chromatograph-toroidal ion trap mass spectrometer (GC-TMS) for detection of hazardous compounds.
A novel gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) based on a miniature toroidal ion trap mass analyzer (TMS) and a low thermal mass GC is described. The TMS system has an effective mass/charge (m/z) range of 50-442 with mass resolution at full-width half-maximum (FWHM) of 0.55 at m/z 91 and 0.80 at m/z 222. A solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber mounted in a simple syringe-style holder is used for sample collection and introduction into a specially designed low thermal mass GC injection port. This portable GC-TMS system weighs <13 kg (28 lb), including batteries and helium carrier gas cartridge, and is totally self-contained within dimensions of 47 x 36 x 18 cm (18.5 x 14 x 7 in.). System start-up takes about 3 min and sample analysis with library matching typically takes about 5 min, including time for column cool-down. Peak power consumption during sample analysis is about 80 W. Battery power and helium supply cartridges allow 50 and 100 consecutive analyses, respectively. Both can be easily replaced. An on-board library of target analytes is used to provide detection and identification of chemical compounds based on their characteristic retention times and mass spectra. The GC-TMS can detect 200 pg of methyl salicylate on-column. n-Butylbenzene and naphthalene can be detected at a concentration of 100 ppt in water from solid-phase microextraction (SPME) analysis of the headspace. The GC-TMS system has been designed to easily make measurements in a variety of complex and harsh environments.
Contreras
Jesse A
JA
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602-5700, USA.
Murray
Jacolin A
JA
Tolley
Samuel E
SE
Oliphant
Joseph L
JL
Tolley
H Dennis
HD
Lammert
Stephen A
SA
Lee
Edgar D
ED
Later
Douglas W
DW
Lee
Milton L
ML
D002138:Calibration; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000032:analysis; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000032:analysis*; D006846:Hydrocarbons, Halogenated / Q000032:analysis; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D052617:Solid Phase Microextraction; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis
D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D006846:Hydrocarbons, Halogenated; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds