A Proton Transfer Reaction-Quadrupole interface Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (PTR-QiTOF): High speed due to extreme sensitivity

Sulzer, Philipp; Hartungen, Eugen; Hanel, G.; Feil, S.; Winkler, Klaus; Mutschlechner, Paul; Haidacher, S.; Schottkowsky, R.; Gunsch, Daniel; Seehauser, H.; Striednig, Marcus; Jürschik, Simone; Breiev, Kostiantyn; Lanza, Matteo; Herbig, Jens; Märk, Lukas; Märk, T.D.; Jordan, Alfons

doi:10.1016/j.ijms.2014.05.004

Cited by 101 publications

(115 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…To be able to measure at 1 Hz even under clean conditions, the instrument sensitivity needs to be increased by at least one order of magnitude. A recent study by Sulzer et al (2014) has demonstrated that such a sensitivity increase can realistically be achieved. Still, our new instrument records full mass spectra at 1 Hz, which constitutes a significant improvement over conventional airborne PTR-QMS measurements.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

A compact PTR-ToF-MS instrument for airborne measurements of volatile organic compounds at high spatiotemporal resolution

et al. 2014

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Abstract. Herein, we report on the development of a compact proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) for airborne measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The new instrument resolves isobaric ions with a mass resolving power (m/ m) of ∼ 1000, provides accurate m/z measurements ( m < 3 mDa), records full mass spectra at 1 Hz and thus overcomes some of the major analytical deficiencies of quadrupole-MS-based airborne instruments. 1 Hz detection limits for biogenic VOCs (isoprene, α total monoterpenes), aromatic VOCs (benzene, toluene, xylenes) and ketones (acetone, methyl ethyl ketone) range from 0.05 to 0.12 ppbV, making the instrument wellsuited for fast measurements of abundant VOCs in the continental boundary layer. The instrument detects and quantifies VOCs in locally confined plumes (< 1 km), which improves our capability of characterizing emission sources and atmospheric processing within plumes. A deployment during the NASA 2013 DISCOVER-AQ mission generated high vertical-and horizontal-resolution in situ data of VOCs and ammonia for the validation of satellite retrievals and chemistry transport models.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

A compact PTR-ToF-MS instrument for airborne measurements of volatile organic compounds at high spatiotemporal resolution

et al. 2014

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“…For measurements aboard aircraft, where PTR-QMS instruments excel by commonly monitoring only a few selected ions and thus achieve high sensitivities, PTR-TOF instruments could still be improved in sensitivity to achieve the same detection limits as PTR-QMS instruments. A promising new development for a sensitivity improvement of PTR-TOF has recently been shown by Sulzer et al (2014), which could make PTR-TOF the ideal instrument for aircraft measurements as well.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

PTR-QMS versus PTR-TOF comparison in a region with oil and natural gas extraction industry in the Uintah Basin in 2013

et al. 2015

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Abstract.Here we compare volatile organic compound (VOC) measurements using a standard proton-transferreaction quadrupole mass spectrometer (PTR-QMS) with a new proton-transfer-reaction time of flight mass spectrometer (PTR-TOF) during the Uintah Basin Winter Ozone Study 2013 (UBWOS2013) field experiment in an oil and gas field in the Uintah Basin, Utah. The PTR-QMS uses a quadrupole, which is a mass filter that lets one mass to charge ratio pass at a time, whereas the PTR-TOF uses a time of flight mass spectrometer, which takes full mass spectra with typical 0.1 s-1 min integrated acquisition times. The sensitivity of the PTR-QMS in units of counts per ppbv (parts per billion by volume) is about a factor of 10-35 times larger than the PTR-TOF, when only one VOC is measured. The sensitivity of the PTR-TOF is mass dependent because of the mass discrimination caused by the sampling duty cycle in the orthogonal-acceleration region of the TOF. For example, the PTR-QMS on mass 33 (methanol) is 35 times more sensitive than the PTR-TOF and for masses above 120 amu less than 10 times more. If more than 10-35 compounds are measured with PTR-QMS, the sampling time per ion decreases and the PTR-TOF has higher signals per unit measuring time for most masses. For UBWOS2013 the PTR-QMS measured 34 masses in 37 s and on that timescale the PTR-TOF is more sensitive for all masses. The high mass resolution of the TOF allows for the measurements of compounds that cannot be separately detected with the PTR-QMS, such as oxidation products from alkanes and cycloalkanes emitted by oil and gas extraction. PTR-TOF masses do not have to be preselected, allowing for identification of unanticipated compounds. The measured mixing ratios of the two instruments agreed very well (R 2 ≥ 0.92 and within 20 %) for all compounds and masses monitored with the PTR-QMS.

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“…This PTR-MS is similar to the instrument described by Lindinger et al [22], on which the latest design iterations are based [23]. A detailed description of the instrument can be found by Steeghs et al [24].…”

Section: Compoundmentioning

confidence: 98%

Optimization and sensitive detection of sulfur compounds emitted from plants using proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry

Samudrala

Brown

Mandon

et al. 2015

International Journal of Mass Spectrometry

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A Proton Transfer Reaction-Quadrupole interface Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (PTR-QiTOF): High speed due to extreme sensitivity

Cited by 101 publications

References 19 publications

A compact PTR-ToF-MS instrument for airborne measurements of volatile organic compounds at high spatiotemporal resolution

A compact PTR-ToF-MS instrument for airborne measurements of volatile organic compounds at high spatiotemporal resolution

PTR-QMS versus PTR-TOF comparison in a region with oil and natural gas extraction industry in the Uintah Basin in 2013

Optimization and sensitive detection of sulfur compounds emitted from plants using proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry

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