Analytical Performance of a Miniature Cylindrical Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer

Abstract

The analytical performance of a fieldable cylindrical ion trap (CIT)-based miniature mass spectrometer is described. A detailed description of the instrument itself is to be found in the immediately preceding paper (Patterson, G. E.; Guymon, A. J.; Riter, L S.; Everly, M.; Griep-Raming, J.; Laughlin, B. C.; Ouyang, Z.; Cooks, R. G., Miniature Cylindrical Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer, Anal. Chem. 2002, 24, 6145-6153). Applications employing the MS/MS and MSn capabilities of the miniature instrument and analytical performance criteria are given here. The limit of detection for methyl salicylate, introduced as the pure vapor, is estimated as 1 pg. The resolution, R = m/delta m, where delta m, measured as full width at half-maximum, is estimated as 100. Monitoring of organic compounds in air is performed using a permeation membrane introduction device coupled to the mass spectrometer. Water monitoring is performed using an external membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS) system, with acetophenone and toluene serving as model compounds. Data are given for chemical warfare agent simulants, methyl salicylate, and dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP) in air. On-line detection of menthol vapor emitted from a cough drop is reported. Methyl salicylate in air gives a recognizable mass spectrum at 400 ppb in the ambient system, while use of a heated membrane brings the detection limit down to 10 ppb.

Instrumentation and methods for ion and reaction monitoring using a non-scanning rectilinear ion trap

“…Efforts put into the miniaturization of mass analyzers and entire mass spectrometers [3,4] have resulted in significant reduction in the instrument size, weight, and power consumption [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. Some portable instruments, such as an ion trap mass spectrometer weighting 17 kg with 135 W power consumption, have been developed with the full functionality of the corresponding labscale instruments [17][18][19]. However, it is highly desirable to further decrease the size and the power consumption of mass spectrometers so they can be deployed for in situ applications, such as industrial process monitoring, environmental pollutant monitoring, chemical and biological warfare agent detection, process monitoring, industrial hygiene, extra-terrestrial exploration, etc.…”

Hand-portable gas chromatograph-toroidal ion trap mass spectrometer (GC-TMS) for detection of hazardous compounds

“…Major efforts have been made to miniaturize capillary GC [10 -14] and most MS analyzers, including time-of-flight (TOF) [15][16][17], quadrupole [18], magnetic sector [17][18][19], Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) [20], and cylindrical [21][22][23], rectilinear [24 -26], and toroidal [27,28] ion traps. Most of these reports have concentrated on miniaturizing the GC column or the mass analyzer.…”

Recent trends in mass spectrometer development

“…At the other end of the spectrum are the miniature cylindrical ion traps that have been designed for fieldportable applications [52,53]. In one incarnation [52] a small battery-powered instrument has been described with a mass range of about m/z 250, unit-resolution-resolving capability, and MS, MS 2 , and MS 3 capabilities.…”