Environmental Chamber Experiments

Fast and Flexible TOF Platform for Environmental Chamber Experiments

Ultra-low limits of detection in seconds
High mass resolving power for accurate identification
Flexible TOF platform allows many chemical ionization approaches for targeted analysis of specific functional groups

• High sensitivity for complex oxygenated compounds
• Optional aerosol inlet enables online aerosol analysis

Background

Environmental Chamber Experiments

Environmental chambers and atmospheric simulation flow reactors are used to study the complex chemical reactions taking place in the atmosphere under well-controlled conditions. Such experiments have significantly improved our understanding of atmospheric chemical processes and the fate of many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including anthropogenic pollutants. Fast and accurate measurement with limited fragmentation is required to capture and quantify the precursor species as well as their oxidation products. High mass resolving power of the analytical instrumentation enables the molecular identification of each product in the complex reaction mixture.

The Vocus CI-TOF offers improved detection efficiency compared to conventional PTR instruments, allowing simultaneous, online monitoring of volatile hydrocarbons as well as a large number of oxygenated compounds and other semi-volatiles at trace concentrations. The versatility and fast-switching capability of the Vocus CI allows for more accurate and targeted analysis of highly functional molecules.

For atmospheric chemistry research, please contact our partners at Aerodyne Research Inc.

Solutions

Real-Time VOC Analysis Using the Vocus CI-TOF
- Highest sensitivity available with sub-ppt limits of detection
- High mass resolving power enables identification of individual compounds within complex mixtures
- Real-time and fast data output capturing rapid changes in VOC concentrations
- Specialized inlet design to minimize wall interactions
- Full spectrum acquisition allows measurements of wide range of compounds simultaneously
- No dependence on sample humidity
- Custom Tofware analysis software enables robust and nuanced data interpretation
Volatile and semivolatile organic compounds were measured in the gas and particle phase by an iodide CIMS equipped with a FIGAERO interface during an environmental chamber study at MIT. The experiment explored the oxidation chemistry of trimethylbenzene over a 7 hour time period. The markers represent individual compounds, sized by their intensity in the mass spectrum and colored by their relative partitioning in the gas vs. particle phase.