title: In situ analysis of corrosion inhibitors using a portable mass spectrometer with paper spray ionization.
abstract: Paper spray (PS) ambient ionization is implemented using a portable mass spectrometer and applied to the detection of alkyl quaternary ammonium salts in a complex oil matrix. These salts are commonly used as active components in the formulation of corrosion inhibitors. They were identified in oil and confirmed by their fragmentation patterns recorded using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The cations of alkyl and benzyl-substituted quaternary ammonium salts showed characteristic neutral losses of CnH2n (n carbon number of the longest chain) and C7H8, respectively. Individual quaternary ammonium compounds were detected at low concentrations (<1 ng μL(-1)) and over a dynamic range of ∼5 pg μL(-1) to 500 pg μL(-1) (ppb). Direct detection of these compounds in complex oil samples without prior sample preparation or pre-concentration was also demonstrated using a home-built miniature mass spectrometer at levels below 1 ng μL(-1).
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and technology (KAUST), Computational and Electrical Engineering Division, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Fred P M
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Jjunju
authors.forename: Anyin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Badu-Tawiah
authors.forename: Pu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Linfan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.forename: Iman S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Roqan
authors.forename: R Graham
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Cooks
mesh_terms: D003343:Corrosion; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010209:Paper; D010578:Petroleum; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds