Quantitative High - Resolution Gas Chromatography and High - Resolution Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry Analyses of Carbonaceous Fine Aerosol Particles

Abstract

Methods have been developed for the quantification of low-microgram levels of the extractable organic matter contained in the atmospheric fine aerosol fraction. Extract quantification is accomplished by computer-assisted high-resolution gas chromatography (HRGC) used in conjunction with a procedural recovery mixture containing perdeuterated compounds of differing polarity and molecular weight. Recovery data for these species indicate that relative volatility rather than functional group classification is the primary factor affecting overall recovery. Routine quality control analysis is performed on a per-sample basis by high-resolution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HRGC/MS) for confirmation of the standard components and for identification of procedural contaminants. By the way of illustration, fine aerosol samples have been analyzed from Anaheim. California. The absolute solvent extract yields range from 49 to 346μg of organic carbon, and demonstrate a seasonal variation with winter maximum and summer minimum concentrations.     

Mass spectrometry of natural organic phosphorus

This article provides a review of the use of modern mass spectrometry (MS) for quantitative and qualitative measurements of organic phosphorus compounds in nature. Included is a brief discussion of recent developments in large molecule mass spectrometry, focusing on time-of-flight (TOF) and ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) mass analysis techniques, as well as electrospray (ESI) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) ionization. The use of ICP with high-resolution mass spectrometry for quantitative measurements of total phosphorus and as a detector coupled to HPLC and CE for defining organic phosphorus speciation is demonstrated using results from a study of phosphorus cycling in a treatment wetland. Qualitative identifications of individual phosphorus compounds by ultrahigh resolution Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) is demonstrated using dissolved organic phosphorus isolated from this same wetland.     

Laserspray ionization using an atmospheric solids analysis probe for sample introduction

A newly introduced high sensitivity laserspray (LSI) mass spectrometry (MS) method that uses laser ablation of a matrix/analyte mixture at atmospheric pressure (AP) to obtain multiply charged ions from nonvolatile as well as high-mass compounds is now implemented using a simple probe device. The probe used in the LSI approach was originally designed for sample introduction into an AP ionization source using the atmospheric solids analysis probe (ASAP) method. Multiply charged mass spectra of peptides and proteins in 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid matrix were readily obtained on two mass spectrometers from different manufacturers with sample introduction using melting point tubes. Here we demonstrate rapid analysis by placing four peptide and protein samples on a single melting point tube. Mass spectra were obtained at high-resolution and using ion mobility spectrometry/MS.     

Determination of molecular formulas of natural organic matter molecules by (ultra-) high-resolution mass spectrometry: Status and needs

Electrospray ionization (ESI) combined with ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry on a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer has been shown to be a very powerful tool for the analysis of fulvic and humic acids and of natural organic matter (NOM) at the molecular level. With this technique thousands of ions can be separated from each other and their m/z ratio determined with sufficient accuracy to allow molecular formula calculation. Organic biogeochemistry, water chemistry, and atmospheric chemistry greatly benefit from this technique. Methodical aspects concerning the application of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) to NOM isolated from surface water, groundwater, marine waters, and soils as well as from secondary organic aerosol in the atmospheric are reviewed. Enrichment of NOM and its chromatographic separation as well as possible influences of the ionization process on the appearance of the mass spectra are discussed. These steps of the analytical process require more systematic investigations. A basic drawback, however, is the lack of well defined single reference compounds of NOM or fulvic acids. Approaches of molecular formula calculation from the mass spectrometric data are reviewed and available graphical presentation methods are summarized. Finally, unsolved issues that limit the quality of data generated by FTICR-MS analysis of NOM are elaborated. It is concluded that further development in NOM enrichment and chromatographic separation is required and that tools for data analysis, data comparison and data visualization ought to be improved to make full use of FTICR-MS in NOM analysis.     

Molecular chemistry of organic aerosols through the application of high resolution mass spectrometry

Understanding the molecular composition and fundamental chemical transformations of organic aerosols (OA) during their formation and aging is both a major challenge and the area of great uncertainty in atmospheric research. Particularly, little is known about fundamental relationship between the chemical composition and physicochemical properties of OA, their atmospheric history, evolution, and the impact on the environment. Ambient soft-ionization methods combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) analysis provide detailed information on the molecular content of OA that is pivotal for improving the understanding of their complex composition, multi-phase aging chemistry, direct (light absorption and scattering) and indirect (aerosol-cloud interactions) effects on atmospheric radiation and climate, health effects. The HR-MS methods can detect thousands of individual OA constituents at once, provide their elemental formulae from accurate mass measurements and structural information based on tandem mass spectrometry. Integration with additional analytical tools, such as chromatography and UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy, makes it possible to further separate OA compounds by their polarity and ability to absorb solar radiation. The goal of this perspective is to describe contemporary HR-MS methods, review recent applications in field and laboratory studies of OA, and explain how the information obtained from HR-MS methods can be translated into an improved understanding of OA chemistry.     

Combining reverse osmosis and pulsed electrical current electrodialysis for improved recovery of dissolved organic matter from seawater

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the oceans is one of the largest dynamic reservoirs of carbon on earth, comparable in size to the atmospheric reservoir of carbon (as CO₂) in the atmosphere, or to the amount of carbon in all terrestrial and aquatic biota. The concerted efforts of earth scientists, atmospheric scientists, and biologists who study global biogeochemical cycles and the earth's climate have yielded a rather detailed understanding of carbon in the atmosphere and in biota. Marine dissolved organic matter (DOM) is far less well characterized, principally because it exists as a highly diluted mixture of perhaps millions of organic compounds in a highly saline aqueous solution. Prior to 2007, only around 1/3 of marine DOM was typically recovered from seawater for research purposes, regardless of the method of isolation. In 2007, reverse osmosis (RO) and electrodialysis (ED) were coupled to achieve recoveries of 64–93% of marine DOM. The level of residual salts in the concentrated samples, however, still precluded the characterization of marine DOM by solid-state NMR, mass spectrometry, or even elemental analysis. This paper describes a major improvement to the RO/ED method, in which pulsed ED is used (at sea) to reach roughly 100-fold greater removal of salts compared to non-pulsed ED while maintaining comparable recoveries of DOM.     

Chemical composition of secondary organic aerosol formed from the photooxidation of isoprene

Recent work in our laboratory has shown that the photooxidation of isoprene (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene, C(5)H(8)) leads to the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). In the current study, the chemical composition of SOA from the photooxidation of isoprene over the full range of NO(x) conditions is investigated through a series of controlled laboratory chamber experiments. SOA composition is studied using a wide range of experimental techniques: electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry, high-resolution mass spectrometry, online aerosol mass spectrometry, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and an iodometric-spectroscopic method. Oligomerization was observed to be an important SOA formation pathway in all cases; however, the nature of the oligomers depends strongly on the NO(x) level, with acidic products formed under high-NO(x) conditions only. We present, to our knowledge, the first evidence of particle-phase esterification reactions in SOA, where the further oxidation of the isoprene oxidation product methacrolein under high-NO(x) conditions produces polyesters involving 2-methylglyceric acid as a key monomeric unit. These oligomers comprise approximately 22-34% of the high-NO(x) SOA mass. Under low-NO(x) conditions, organic peroxides contribute significantly to the low-NO(x) SOA mass (approximately 61% when SOA forms by nucleation and approximately 25-30% in the presence of seed particles). The contribution of organic peroxides in the SOA decreases with time, indicating photochemical aging. Hemiacetal dimers are found to form from C(5) alkene triols and 2-methyltetrols under low-NO(x) conditions; these compounds are also found in aerosol collected from the Amazonian rainforest, demonstrating the atmospheric relevance of these low-NO(x) chamber experiments.     

Immobilized artificial membrane chromatography coupled with atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry

Liquid chromatographic separations on monolayers of cell membrane phospholipids covalently immobilized to silica particles at high molecular density is used for mimicking solute partitioning into biological membranes that generally correlates with membrane transport. This technique called immobilized artificial membrane chromatography usually employs ultraviolet (UV) detection where a single compound is analyzed in a chromatographic run limiting thereby its throughput for drug discovery applications. For coupling with atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry, the phosphate-buffered saline mobile phase was replaced with one that used ammonium acetate as a volatile buffer. While atmospheric pressure chemical ionization accommodated a purely aqueous effluent, interfacing with electrospray ionization required effluent splitting and the addition of an organic modifier (5%, v/v, acetonitrile). Neuropeptide FF antagonists as early-phase drug candidates were used for the comparative evaluation of the methods. Whereas electrospray ionization produced essentially no fragment ions, several compounds involved in our study yielded low-abundance molecular ions with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization. The use of mass spectrometry yielded data that correlated well with those obtained by the method employing UV detection. Both atmospheric pressure ionization methods permitted the simultaneous determination of the k'(IAM), capacity factors and, therefore, an increased-throughput ranking of potential new leads emerged from the drug discovery process based on affinity to artificial membranes.     

Determination of exemestane and 17-hydroxyexemestane by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry and high-resolution mass spectrometry

An approach was developed for determining and confirming the presence of exemestane and its metabolite 17-hydroxyexemestane in urine. It is based on the application of high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS). To detect hydroxyexemestane, the analysis of the hydrolyzed fraction of urine is preferable. The recovery rates of exemestane and 17-hydroxyexemestane were 83 and 91%, respectively. The detection limits were 1 ng/mL for HPLC-MS/MS and 2.5 ng/mL for HPLC-HRMS. In spite of a considerable effect of ionization suppression, the sensitivity and selectivity of the determination are affected by the selection of the optimal detection conditions in HPLC-MS/MS and by the high accuracy of mass determination in mass spectrometry with orbitrap detection, enabling resolution at a level of 5 ppm. The procedures can be used for screening and confirmatory analysis.     

Estimation of contamination of atmosphere of Moscow in winter

To establish the priority pollutants in the atmosphere of Moscow in winter 8 snow samples were collected along the perimeter (109 km) of the Moscow Ring Road. Mass spectrometry was used as an analytical tool to identify individual organic compounds (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) and the most environmentally relevant chemical elements (inductively coupled plasma with mass spectrometric detection). As a result several hundred organic compounds belonging to various classes, including representatives of the list of priority pollutants of the USA Environmental Protection Agency were identified. Their levels as well as the levels of chemical elements were quantified. The importance of accurate mass measurements for the efficient structural elucidation and reliability of quantitative measurements has been demonstrated. The data obtained allow estimating atmospheric pollution in Moscow in the period between December and March and proposing a list of priority pollutants for the atmosphere of Moscow.     

An enhanced analytical strategy integrating offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography with high-resolution accurate mass spectrometry and molecular networking: Comprehensive characterization of HuangLian JieDu Decoction as a case study

Comprehensive ingredient research is of great significance for understanding the effective material basis of herbal medicines, but due to the diversity and complexity of their phytochemicals, such research is challenging. Here, a multifaceted strategy was proposed to analyze and identify the composition of HuangLian JieDu Decoction based on offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography combined with ultraviolet detection and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Multiple components were separated by two-dimensional liquid chromatography, which consisted of hydrophilic interaction chromatography and reversed-phase liquid chromatography, and then further characterized by high-resolution mass spectrometry with a full mass spectrometry/precursor ion list/data-dependent secondary scan data acquisition method. For data processing, database screening and molecular networking were used to identify the components in HuangLian JieDu Decoction. The offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography combined with ultraviolet detection and a high-resolution mass spectrometry system showed good orthogonality of 76.35% and a high peak capacity of 5175, effectively separating multiple components. Finally, 527 compounds, including 164 alkaloids, 133 terpenoids, 88 flavonoids, 60 phenylpropanoids, 38 organic acids, and 44 other compounds, were characterized. This integrated approach is suitable for the comprehensive characterization of herbal medicines and other complex chemical systems.     

氟固相萃取辅助的生物分子质谱分析新方法

氟固相萃取(Fluorous solid-phase extraction,FSPE)是一种基于全氟化合物之间氟-氟相互作用的固相萃取技术,通过在目标分子上进行氟标签衍生,利用高氟化固相吸附剂实现特异性的分离纯化.这一技术在有机合成、催化,以及化学和生物分离分析等诸多领域应用广泛.近年来,由于氟固相萃取和生物质谱技术之间良好的兼容性,两者联用结合的分析方法受到了研究者的广泛关注.本文在简要介绍氟固相萃取技术原理的基础之上,重点综述了其在生物质谱分析领域中的应用,并对其发展前景进行了展望.     

Aqueous-phase OH oxidation of glyoxal: application of a novel analytical approach employing aerosol mass spectrometry and complementary off-line techniques

Aqueous-phase chemistry of glyoxal may play an important role in the formation of highly oxidized secondary organic aerosol (SOA) in the atmosphere. In this work, we use a novel design of photochemical reactor that allows for simultaneous photo-oxidation and atomization of a bulk solution to study the aqueous-phase OH oxidation of glyoxal. By employing both online aerosol mass spectrometry (AMS) and offline ion chromatography (IC) measurements, glyoxal and some major products including formic acid, glyoxylic acid, and oxalic acid in the reacting solution were simultaneously quantified. This is the first attempt to use AMS in kinetics studies of this type. The results illustrate the formation of highly oxidized products that likely coexist with traditional SOA materials, thus, potentially improving model predictions of organic aerosol mass loading and degree of oxidation. Formic acid is the major volatile species identified, but the atmospheric relevance of its formation chemistry needs to be further investigated. While successfully quantifying low molecular weight organic oxygenates and tentatively identifying a reaction product formed directly from glyoxal and hydrogen peroxide, comparison of the results to the offline total organic carbon (TOC) analysis clearly shows that the AMS is not able to quantitatively monitor all dissolved organics in the bulk solution. This is likely due to their high volatility or low stability in the evaporated solution droplets. This experimental approach simulates atmospheric aqueous phase processing by conducting oxidation in the bulk phase, followed by evaporation of water and volatile organics to form SOA.     

First Evidence of “Earth Wax” Inside the Casting Molds from the Roman Era

This research was focused on the analysis of material composition and organic residues present in three molds found in the Moravian region (Czech Republic) belonging to the Roman era. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy pointed out the possible remelting of Roman objects in Barbarian territory. The analysis of organic residues retrieved from the internal part of mold #2 by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry proved the presence of ozokerite wax (“earth wax”). Consequent analysis of this organic residue by Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe–ion mobility spectrometry–high-resolution mass spectrometry (ASAP-IMS-HRMS) confirmed the presence of ceresin, the main component of ozokerite. Ceresin was also detected in a sample of the organic residue from mold #1. Note that this is the first application of ASAP-IMS-HRMS in archaeological research. The remains of earth wax in molds suggest the production of wax models as an intermediate stage for the production of lost-wax ceramic casting molds.     

Liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure ionization-mass spectrometry in drug metabolism studies

The study of the metabolic fate of drugs is an essential and important part of the drug development process. The analysis of metabolites is a challenging task and several different analytical methods have been used in these studies. However, after the introduction of the atmospheric pressure ionization (API) technique, electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) has become an important and widely used method in the analysis of metabolites owing to its superior specificity, sensitivity and efficiency. In this paper the feasibility of LC/API-MS techniques in the identification, structure characterization and quantitation of drug metabolites is reviewed. Sample preparation, LC techniques, isotope labeling, suitability of different MS techniques, such as tandem mass spectrometry, and high-resolution MS in drug metabolite analysis, are summarized and discussed. Automation of data acquisition and interpretation, special techniques and possible future trends are also the topics of the review.     

基于高分辨质谱在线观测的2011深圳大运会前后PM_1化学组成与粒径分布

本文利用先进的高分辨飞行时间气溶胶质谱仪（HR-ToF-AMS）于2011年深圳世界大学生运动会前后（2011年8月3日~9月22日）对深圳市区大气亚微米细粒子（PM1）化学成分和粒径分布进行了在线测量.结果表明,整个观测期间PM1质量浓度平均为51.1±32.6gm3,其中有机物占颗粒物总质量的37.9%,硫酸盐为37.1%,铵盐11.9%,黑碳6.6%（由一台单颗粒黑碳光度计（SP2）单独测量）,硝酸盐5.8%,氯化物0.6%.观测期间各成分（除黑碳外）的粒径分布峰值位于真空动力学粒径550nm附近,而有机物在较小粒径范围（100~200nm）仍有较多质量分布,显示出本地一次源的明显贡献.基于高分辨有机质谱计算得到的有机气溶胶的平均元素组成为：碳34.0%、氢53.2%、氧12.0%和氮0.8%（原子个数百分比）,对应的OM/OC（有机物与有机碳质量比）平均值为1.66±0.16.采用正矩阵因子解析（PMF）模型对有机气溶胶高分辨质谱进行因子解析,得到三类有机气溶胶：HOA（还原态有机气溶胶）,SV-OOA（半挥发氧化态有机气溶胶）和LV-OOA（低挥发氧化态有机气溶胶）,分别占有机物总量的31.3%,39.8%和28.9%,说明二次有机气溶胶（以SV-OOA和LV-OOA之和代表）是有机气溶胶的主体部分.结合气团来源分析不同时段PM1化学组成和粒径分布特征表明,大运会召开期间PM1质量浓度水平比整个观测期间的平均值低60.7%,是气团来自洋面等有利气象条件和黄标车限行等污染源控制措施的综合作用结果.     

Formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from acetylene over nanosized olivine-type silicates

The formation mechanism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules in interstellar and circumstellar environments is not well understood although the presence of these molecules is widely accepted. In this paper, addition and aromatization reactions of acetylene over astrophysically relevant nesosilicate particles are reported. Gas-phase PAHs produced from exposure of acetylene gas to crystalline silicates using pulsed supersonic jet expansion (SJE) conditions were detected by time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS). The PAHs produced were further confirmed in a separate experiment using a continuous flow fixed-bed reactor in which acetylene was introduced at atmospheric pressure. The gas-phase effluent and solutions of the carbonaceous compounds deposited on the nesosilicate particles were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A mechanism for PAH formation is proposed in which the Mg(2+) ions in the nesosilicate particles act as Lewis acid sites for the acetylene reactions. Our studies indicate that the formation of PAHs in mixed-chemistry astrophysical environments could arise from acetylene interacting with olivine nano-particles. These nesosilicate particles are capable of providing catalytic centres for adsorption and activation of acetylene molecules that are present in the circumstellar environments of mass-losing carbon stars. The structure and physical properties of the particles were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) techniques.