The real-time multielement monitoring of airborne particulate matter (APM) was carried out using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) instrument equipped with a newly developed gas converter apparatus. By using the gas converter apparatus, gas molecules in the air sample and Ar molecules were almost completely exchanged and the gas-converted air sample could be directly introduced into ICP-MS instruments. Fe in clean room and outdoor air samples was directly measured using the ICP-MS instrument equipped with the converter apparatus. The signal intensities of Be, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, and U in the outdoor air sample were successfully measured at every 8 min for 77 h.

Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) represents one of the most popular techniques for direct analysis of solid samples. The 'ease of use' of the technique has attracted particular attention in the past decades, since it offers rapid access to qualitative and quantitative information of components contained within solid samples without the need for sample preparation. However, it requires thorough understanding of the numerous processes involved to improve its capabilities and reduce its limitations. Therefore, the focus of this work was directed towards fundamental studies using LA-ICP-MS and consists of four main topics. As the main focus of this work, the novel sampling method describes laser ablation sampling in ambient air, utilizing aerosol suction and gas exchange prior to the ICP-MS without loosing significant amounts of particles. With the use of a recently developed Gas Exchange Device (GED), various gases can be online exchanged to argon. The gas exchange is based on gas diffusion through a silica membrane. The present prototype of GED is applicable to exchange air at a flow rate of 0.25 L min -1 by Ar at 0.21 L min -1 . This gas flow is significantly lower than the commonly applied flow rate of carrier gases used for LA, however the results obtained are very promising. The efficiency of air exchange to Ar was studied using various factors monitored during measurements. Oxide formation, background count rates and potential spectral interferences generally caused by polyatomic

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For the first time, direct analysis of gaseous mercury (Hg) at a concentration level of a few ng m−3in ambient air using the gas to particle conversion-gas exchange technique, coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) has been achieved.

A novel gas to particle conversion-gas exchange technique for the direct analysis of metal carbonyl gas by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) was proposed and demonstrated in the present study. The technique is based on a transfer of gas into particle, which can be directly analyzed by ICPMS. Particles from metal carbonyl gases such as Cr(CO)6, Mo(CO)6, and W(CO)6 are formed by reaction with ozone (O3) and ammonium (NH3) gases within a newly developed gas to particle conversion device (GPD). The reaction mechanism of the gas to particle conversion is based on either oxidation of metal carbonyl gas by O3 or agglomeration of metal oxide with ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) which is generated by the reaction of O3 and NH3. To separate the reaction gases (remaining O3 and NH3) from the formed particles, a previously reported gas exchange device (GED) was used and the in argon stabilized analyte particles were directly introduced and measured by ICPMS. This new technique provided limits of detection (LOD) of 0.15 pL L(-1) (0.32 ng m(-3)), 0.02 pL L(-1) (0.07 ng m(-3)), and 0.01 pL L(-1) (0.07 ng m(-3)) for Cr(CO)6, Mo(CO)6, and W(CO)6, respectively, which were 4-5 orders of magnitude lower than those conventional applied for detecting these gases, e.g., gas chromatography with electron captured detector (GC-ECD) as well as Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The achieved LODs were also similar or slightly better than those for ICPMS coupled to GC. Since the gas to particle conversion technique can achieve the direct measurement of metal carbonyl gases as well as the removal of reaction and ambient gases from metal carbonyl gases, the technique is considered to be well suited to monitor gas quality in semiconductor industry, engine exhaust gases, and or waste incineration products.