Radiofrequency field enhanced chemical ionization with vacuum ultraviolet lamp for miniature time-of-flight mass spectrometer

Radiofrequency field enhanced chemical ionization enhances the sensitivity of benzene, toluene, hydrogen sulfide and other compounds by 2–3 orders of magnitude and expanded the detection range of the compounds with ionization energy from 10.6 eV to 12.0 eV.     

Study on the atmospheric photochemical reaction of CF_3 radicals using ultraviolet photoelectron and photoionization mass spectrometer

A study of the atmospheric photochemical reaction of CF3 radical with CO and O2 was performed by using a homemade ultraviolet photoelectron spectrometer-photoionization mass spectrometer (PES- PIMS). The electronic structures and mechanism of ionization and dissociation of CF3OC(O)OOC(O)- OCF3 were investigated. It was indicated that the two bands on the photoelectron spectrum of CF3OC(O)OOC(O)OCF3 are the result of ionization of an electron from a lone pair of oxygen and a fluo- rine lone pair of CF3 group. The outermost electrons reside in the oxygen lone pair. The experimental and theoretical first vertical ionization energy is 13.21 and 13.178 eV, respectively, with the PES and OVGF method. They are in good agreement. The photo ionization and dissociation processes were discussed with the help of theoretical calculations and PES-PIMS experiment. After ionization, the parent ions prefer the dissociation of the C-O bond and giving the fragments CF3OCO and CF3 . It demonstrated that the ultraviolet photoelectron and photoionization mass spectrometer could be ap- plied widely in the study of atmospheric photochemical reaction.     

Study on the atmospheric photochemical reaction of CF3 radicals using ultraviolet photoelectron and photoionization mass spectrometer

A study of the atmospheric photochemical reaction of CF₃ radical with CO and O₂ was performed by using a homemade ultraviolet photoelectron spectrometer-photoionization mass spectrometer (PES-PIMS). The electronic structures and mechanism of ionization and dissociation of CF₃OC(O)OOC(O)-OCF₃ were investigated. It was indicated that the two bands on the photoelectron spectrum of CF₃OC(O)OOC(O)OCF₃ are the result of ionization of an electron from a lone pair of oxygen and a fluorine lone pair of CF₃ group. The outermost electrons reside in the oxygen lone pair. The experimental and theoretical first vertical ionization energy is 13.21 and 13.178 eV, respectively, with the PES and OVGF method. They are in good agreement. The photo ionization and dissociation processes were discussed with the help of theoretical calculations and PES-PIMS experiment. After ionization, the parent ions prefer the dissociation of the C—O bond and giving the fragments CF₃OCO⁺ and CF₃⁺. It demonstrated that the ultraviolet photoelectron and photoionization mass spectrometer could be applied widely in the study of atmospheric photochemical reaction. Supported by the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-205), Hundred Talents Fund, 973 Program of Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant No. 2006CB403701) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 20577052, 20673123)     

A collinear tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer for infrared photodissociation spectroscopy of mass-selected ions

An apparatus based on collinear tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer has been designed for the measurement of infrared photodissociation spectroscopy of mass-selected ions in the gas phase.The ions from a pulsed laser vaporization supersonic ion source are skimmed and mass separated by a Wiley-McLaren time-of-flight mass spectrometer.The ion of interest is mass selected,decelerated and dissociated by a tunable IR laser.The fragment and parent ions are reaccelerated and mass analyzed by the second time-of-flight mass spectrometer.A simple new assembly integrated with mass gate,deceleration and reacceleration ion optics was designed,which allows us to measure the infrared spectra of mass selected ions with high sensitivity and easy timing synchronization.     

Quantification and evaluation of ion transmission efficiency in two-stage vacuum chamber miniature mass spectrometer

Miniature mass spectrometer is more compact and portable than traditional commercial mass spectrometry, with more potential for application outside the laboratory. However, a miniature mass spectrometer is less sensitive than a commercial instrument, limiting its application scenarios. The ion transmission efficiency of the instrument is an essential factor affecting the sensitivity. Still, there are few works of literature on the quantitative study of the ion transmission efficiency of each component from a systematic perspective. In this paper, the Faraday cup coupled with a microcurrent signal testing instrument was used to measure the ions generated by nanoelectrospray ionization (nano-ESI), which have successfully gone through several components. Then the ion transmission efficiency of each component was quantified. Results showed that the front lens had the highest ion transmission efficiency of 39.7%, whereas the inlet and skimmer had the lowest ion transfer efficiency of 0.8% and 17.1%. Next, the influence of control parameters on ion transmission efficiency of critical components was investigated. If optimized, the ion funnel and the skimmer had the potential to improve their transmission efficiency by 120% and 79%, respectively. This paper shows the decreasing intensity distribution of ions in the whole transmission process and the transmission efficiency of each component, which can guide for improving the sensitivity of the miniature mass spectrometer.     

Optimized precursor ion selection for labile ions in a linear ion trap mass spectrometer and its impact on quantification using selected reaction monitoring

The fragmentation of fragile ions during the application of an isolation waveform for precursor ion selection and the resulting loss of isolated ion intensity is well‐known in ion trap mass spectrometry (ITMS). To obtain adequate ion intensity in the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) of fragile precursor ions, a wider ion isolation width is required. However, the increased isolation width significantly diminishes the selectivity of the channels chosen for SRM, which is a serious problem for samples with complex matrices. The sensitive and selective quantification of many lipid molecules, including ceramides from real biological samples, using a linear ion trap mass spectrometer is also hindered by the same problem because of the ease of water loss from protonated ceramide ions. In this study, a method for the reliable quantification of ceramides using SRM with near unity precursor ion isolation has been developed for ITMS by utilizing alternative precursor ions generated by in‐source dissociation. The selected precursor ions allow the isolation of ions with unit mass width and the selective analysis of ceramides using SRM with negligible loss of sensitivity. The quantification of C18:0‐, C24:0‐ and C24:1‐ceramides using the present method shows excellent linearity over the concentration ranges from 6 to 100, 25 to 1000 and 25 to 1000 nM, respectively. The limits of detection of C18:0‐, C24:0‐ and C24:1‐ceramides were 0.25, 0.25 and 5 fmol, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to quantify ceramides in fetal bovine serum. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Speciation analysis of arsenic and selenium compounds in environmental and biological samples by ion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma dynamic reaction cell mass spectrometer

An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) was used as an ion chromatographic (IC) detector for the speciation analysis of arsenic and selenium. The arsenic and selenium species studied included arsenite [As(III)], arsenate [As(V)], monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), arsenobetaine (AsB), selenite [Se(IV)] and selenate [Se(VI)]. Gradient elution using (NH₄)₂CO₃ and methanol at pH 9 allowed the chromatographic separation of all species in less than 12 min. Effluents from the IC column were delivered to the nebulization system of ICP-DRC-MS for the determination of arsenic and selenium. The potentially interfering ³⁸Ar⁴⁰Ar⁺ and ⁴⁰Ar⁴⁰Ar⁺ at the selenium masses m/z 78 and 80 were reduced in intensity by approximately 3 orders of magnitude by using 0.6 mL min⁻¹ CH₄ as reactive cell gas in the DRC while an Rpq value of 0.3 was used. Meanwhile, arsenic was determined as the adduct ion ⁷⁵As¹²CHH⁺ at m/z 89, which is more sensitive than ⁷⁵As. The limits of detection for arsenic and selenium were in the range of 0.002–0.01 ng mL⁻¹ and 0.01–0.02 ng mL⁻¹, respectively, based on peak height. The relative standard deviation of the peak areas for five injections of 5 ng mL⁻¹ As and Se mixture was in the range of 2–4%. The concentrations of arsenic and selenium species have been determined in urine samples collected locally. The major As and Se species in urines were AsB, DMA and probably selenosugar at concentration of 20–40, 15–19 and 17–31 ng mL⁻¹, respectively. The recoveries were in the range of 94–105% for all the determinations. This method has also been applied to determine various arsenic compounds in two fish samples. In this study, a simple and rapid microwave-assisted extraction method was used for the extraction of arsenic compounds from fish. The arsenic species were quantitatively leached with an 80% v/v methanol solution in a focused microwave field during a period of 5 min.     

Quantification of methylamine in the headspace of ethanol of agricultural origin by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry

Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS, has been used to investigate if absolute levels of trace compounds in the headspace of ethanol/water vapour mixture can be quantified. This case study was directed towards the analysis of methylamine in distilled ethanol of agricultural origin because of its relevance to quality control legislation in the distillery industry. This has required a detailed study of the ion chemistry occurring – initiated by H₃O⁺ precursor ions – when ethanol/water vapour mixtures are introduced into the H₃O⁺/helium carrier gas swarm and has resulted in the construction of a full scheme of the complex ionic reactions that occur. It has been found that under the SIFT-MS flow reactor conditions (He pressure 130 Pa and temperature 299 K) the terminating ions of the several parallel and sequential reactions that occur are the proton bound ethanol clusters ions, C₂H₅OH₂⁺(C₂H₅OH)_n, with n = 1,2,3, proton bound trimer (n = 2) being the dominant species. These ethanol cluster ions can be used as precursor (reagent) ions for the chemical ionisation of the methylamine present in the ethanol/water vapour, which produces two characteristic product ions CH₃NH₂H⁺(C₂H₅OH)_1,2 that are used for the methylamine analysis. The ratio of the product ion count rate to the precursor ion count rate is used in an analogous way to the routinely used for SIFT-MS analyses to quantify the methylamine concentration. The results of calibration experiments show that using SIFT-MS it is possible to quantify methylamine in liquid ethanol/water mixtures at levels of 0.1 mg/L or greater.     

A DFT study on reaction of eupatilin with hydroxyl radical in solution

Antioxidants scavenge reactive oxygen species and, therefore, are vitally important in the living cells. The antioxidant properties of eupatilin have recently been reported. In this article, the reactions of eupatilin with the hydroxyl radical (OH^?) in solution are studied using density functional theory calculations and the polarizable continuum model. Three mechanisms are considered including: sequential electron proton transfer (SEPT), sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET), and hydrogen abstraction (HA). Three solvents with different polarities, that is, benzene, methanol, and water, are used to investigate the effect of the environment on the mechanisms. The relative Gibbs free energies and enthalpies corresponding to different mechanisms are calculated. Our results show that SEPT is thermodynamically favored in aqueous solution. Once the eupatilin anion is produced, the second step in SPLET mechanism is thermodynamically favored in methanol and water. The HA mechanism is thermodynamically favored in gas, benzene, methanol, and water. This mechanism is more energetically favorable to occur in a more polar solvent. The natural bond orbital charges and spin densities as well as the singly occupied molecular orbital are then analyzed. It is concluded that the HA process is governed by proton coupled electron transfer mechanism. The attack of the radical takes place preferentially at position 7 of eupatilin. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Analytical performance of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer compared to a high resolution mass spectrometer for the analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in fish

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of flame retardants used globally in many consumer products and industrial applications. Traditionally, gas chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry (GC–HR-MS) is the method of choice for analysis of PBDEs in environmental samples because it offers high sensitivity and selectivity, resulting in less interferences. However, the specificity offered by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (GC–QQQ-MS/MS), operated in selected reaction monitoring mode, provides a more affordable alternative to GC–HR-MS for the analysis of PBDEs in complex environmental samples. In this study, an analytical method was developed for the analysis of 41 PBDE congeners in fish using GC–QQQ-MS/MS. Results from the analysis of three fish species [lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), yellow perch (Perca flavescens), and round goby (Neogobius melanostomus)] using GC–QQQ-MS/MS were compared with those obtained by GC–HR-MS. These species were selected because they represent varying levels of lipid-rich matrix and contaminant loads. Instrumental limits of detection for the GC–QQQ-MS/MS ranged from 0.04 pg to 41 pg, whereas those for the GC–HR-MS ranged from 5 pg to 85 pg. The PBDE values obtained from these two methods were highly correlated, R² values >0.7, for all three fish species, supporting the suitability of GC–QQQ-MS/MS for analysis of PBDEs in fish with varying fat content.     

Non-thermal internal energy distribution of ions observed in an electrospray source interfaced with a sector mass spectrometer

The internal energy distribution P(E(int)) of ions emitted in an electrospray (ESI) source interfaced with a sector mass spectrometer is evaluated by using the experimental survival yield (SY) method including the kinetic shift. This method is based on the relationship between the degree of fragmentation of an ion and its amount of internal energy and uses benzylpyridinium cations due to their simple fragmentation scheme. Quantum chemical calculations are performed, namely at G3(MP2)//B3LYP and QCISD/MP2 levels of theory. The results show that the internal energy distribution of the ions emitted in the ESI source interfaced with a sector analyzer is very narrow. The MassKinetics software is used to confirm these observations. The P(E(int)) is the parameter that allows to fit the experimental SY of each substituted benzylpyridinium cation with theoretical mass spectra generated by the MassKinetics software. The resulting internal energy distributions are similar to the ones obtained with the experimental SY method. This indicates that in the present experimental conditions, P(E(int)) cannot be compared with a 'thermal-like' Boltzmann distribution. In addition, it appears that with the sector analyzer, increasing the collision energy in the first pumping stage of the ESI source does not correspond to a warm-up of the produced ions.     

A study of heat and mass transfer of Non-Newtonian fluid with surface chemical reaction

Considering the significance of non-Newtonian fluid usage in manufacturing such as molten plastics, polymeric materials, pulps, and so on, significant efforts have been made to investigate the phenomenon of non-Newtonian fluids. In this article the influences of heat and mass transfer on non-Newtonian Walter's B fluid flow over uppermost catalytic surface of a paraboloid is encountered. An elasticity of the fluid layer is considered in the freestream together with heat source/sink and has the tendency to cause heat flow in the fluid saturated domain. The flow problem of two-dimensional Walter's B fluid is represented using Law of conservation of mass, momentum, heat, and concentration along with thermal and solutal chemical reactive boundary conditions. The governing equations are non-linear partial differential equation and are non-dimensionalized by employing stream function and similarity transformation. The final dimensionless equations yielded are coupled non-linear ordinary differential equations. Furthermore, shooting technique along with RK-4th order method is used to get the numerical results. Graphs and tables are modeled by using MATLAB software to check the effects of Walter's B parameter, Chemical reaction parameter and Thickness parameter on temperature, velocity, and concentration profiles. Tabular analysis shows the results of some physical parameters like skin friction coefficient, Nusselt number and Sherwood number due to the variation of Walter's B parameter, thickness parameter and chemical reactive parameter.     

Kinetic study on the reaction of OH radical with dimethyl sulfide in the absence of oxygen.

A variational transition-state theory calculation for the reaction of OH radical with dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in the absence of oxygen is presented. The potential energy surface was previously studied and the effects of different levels of theory were analyzed. Here we propose a kinetic model for the atmospheric DMS oxidation in the absence of oxygen. For the first time, addition of OH to DMS and CH(3)SOH elimination channels are connected, and the equilibrium approximation in the high-pressure regime is applied to the DMS-OH adduct in the absence of oxygen. Both low- and high-pressure limits are considered to analyze the two different mechanisms of the H-abstraction channel, and two different kinetic approaches are applied to study them. The rate constants for the addition-elimination and H-abstraction routes are compared and the branching ratios are also studied. Tunneling contributions and kinetic isotope effects are analyzed. We conclude, in agreement with experimental observations, that in the absence of oxygen DMS oxidation takes place via H-abstraction with a branching ratio of 1.0 at atmospheric temperatures.     

A B-TOF mass spectrometer for the analysis of ions with extreme high start-up energies

Weak magnetic deflection is combined with two acceleration stage time-of-flight mass spectrometry and subsequent position-sensitive ion detection. The experimental method, called B-TOF mass spectrometry, is described with respect to its theoretical background and some experimental results. It is demonstrated that the technique has distinct advantages over other approaches, with special respect to the identification and analysis of very highly energetic ions with an initially large energy broadening (up to 1 MeV) and with high charge states (up to 30+). Similar energetic targets are a common case in intense laser-matter interaction processes found during laser ablation, laser-cluster and laser-molecule interaction and fast particle and x-ray generation from laser-heated plasma.     

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometric study of end‐groups in peroxydicarbonate‐initiated radical polymerization

Initiation by diethyl peroxydicarbonate (E‐PDC), di‐n‐tetradecyl peroxydicarbonate (nTD‐PDC), di‐n‐hexadecyl peroxydicarbonate (nHD‐PDC), and di‐2‐ethylhexyl peroxydicarbonate (2EH‐PDC) of free‐radical polymerizations of methyl methacrylate in benzene solution was studied by end‐group analysis via electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS). Unambiguous assignment of ESI‐MS peaks allows for identification of the type of radical that starts chain growth. In case of initiation by dialkyl peroxydicarbonates with linear alkyl groups, almost exclusively alkoxy carbonyloxyl species, which are the primary fragments from initiator decomposition, occur as end‐groups. With 2EH‐PDC, however, both the primary 2‐ethylhexoxy carbonyloxyl fragment and a second moiety, which is formed by decarboxylation of the 2‐ethylhexoxy carbonyloxyl radical, are clearly observed as end‐groups. The decarboxylation process is described by a concerted mechanism which involves a 1,5‐hydrogen shift reaction. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 6071–6081, 2008     

Computer-aided fault diagnosis in technical systems: An expert system for fault identification in the vacuum system of a mass spectrometer

We took a critical look on currently common methods for constructing expert systems and examined closely their applicability for computer-aided fault diagnosis. We deemed these methods not appropriate for this domain and presented our Knowledge Processing Facility KNOPF as an alternative. By means of KNOPF/MS, an expert system for computer-aided fault diagnosis in the vacuum system of a mass spectrometer implemented by using KNOPF, we demonstrated the applicability of our approach.     

A generic approach for expanding homolog-targeted residue screening of sulfonamides using a fast matrix separation and class-specific fragmentation-dependent acquisition with a hybrid quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometer

A generic and efficient homolog-targeted approach was used to expand screening and detection of target class of sulfonamides and structural analogs, based on a fast single-tube extraction/partitioning-multifunction adsorption cleanup (SEP/MAC) for class-specific fragmentation-dependent acquisition with a liquid chromatography–hybrid triple-quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometer (LC–QqLIT). By combining the two-stage process conducted in a single tube as one-pot protocol, the straightforward SEP/MAC procedure was optimized to offer clean extracts with reasonable recovery (71–109% with RSDs < 20%) and decreased matrix interferences (−9 to 19%) of multiresidual sulfonamide extraction from different tissue samples. The novel use of neutral loss scan of 66 Da (NLS) or precursor ion scanning of m/z 108 (PreS) in positive ion mode was found to achieve more comprehensive coverage of protonated molecular ions of a wide array of sulfonamides including N⁴-acetyl and hydroxylamine metabolites plus their possible dimers. Moreover, the PreS-triggered automatically enhanced product ion spectral acquisition enabled simultaneous screening, profiling and confirmation of an unlimited number of analytes belonging to the sulfonamide class within a single analysis. The validation and application results of the generic SEP/MAC-based LC–QqLIT strategy consistently demonstrated favorable performances with acceptable accuracy (67–116%), precision (RSDs < 25%), and sensitivity (LOQs ≤ 7.5 ng g⁻¹) to meet the acceptance criteria for all the sulfonamide–tissue combinations. Thus, the integration of the matrix-independent SEP/MAC procedure and the multiparameter matching algorithm with the unit-resolution LC–QqLIT instrument can serve as a valuable semi-targeted discovery strategy for rapid screening and reliable quantitative/confirmatory analysis of real samples.     

A new membrane inlet interface of a vacuum ultraviolet lamp ionization miniature mass spectrometer for on-line rapid measurement of volatile organic compounds in air

A novel membrane inlet interface coupled to a single-photon ionization (SPI) miniature time-of-flight mass spectrometer has been developed for on-line rapid measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light source for SPI was a commercial krypton discharge lamp with photon energy of 10.6 eV and photon flux of 10(10) photons/s. The experimental results showed that the sensitivity was 5 times as high as obtained with the traditional membrane inlet. The enrichment efficiency could be adjusted in the range of 10 to 20 times for different VOCs when a buffer cell was added to the inlet interface, and the memory effect was effectively eliminated. A detection limit as low as 25 parts-per-billion by volume (ppbv) for benzene has been achieved, with a linear dynamic range of three orders of magnitude. The rise times were 6 s, 10 s and 15 s for benzene, toluene and p-xylene, respectively, and the fall time was only 6 s for all of these compounds. The analytical capacity of this system was demonstrated by the on-line analysis of VOCs in single puff mainstream cigarette smoke, in which more than 50 compounds were detected in 2 s.     

Characterization of forsythoside A metabolites in rats by a combination of UHPLC‐LTQ‐Orbitrap mass spectrometer with multiple data processing techniques

Forsythoside A (FTA), the main active constituent isolated from Fructus Forsythiae, has various biological functions including anti‐oxidant, anti‐viral and anti‐microbial activities. However, while research on FTA has been mainly focused on the treatment of diseases on a material basis, FTA metabolites in vivo have not been comprehensively evaluated. Here, a rapid and sensitive method using a UHPLC‐LTQ‐Orbitrap mass spectrometer with multiple data processing techniques including high‐resolution extracted ion chromatograms, multiple mass defect filters and diagnostic product ions was developed for the screening and identification of FTA metabolites in rats. As the result, a total of 43 metabolites were identified in biological samples including 42 metabolites in urine, 22 metabolites in plasma and 15 metabolites in feces. These results demonstrated that FTA underwent a series of in vivo metabolic reactions including methylation, dimethylation, sulfation, glucuronidation, diglucuronidation, cysteine conjugation and their composite reactions. The research enhanced our understanding of FTA metabolism and built a foundation for further toxicity and safety studies.     

A new approach to live reaction monitoring using active flow technology in ultra‐high‐speed HPLC with mass spectral detection

A new type of chromatography column referred to as a parallel segmented flow (PSF) column enables ultra‐high‐speed high‐performance liquid chromatography‐MS to be undertaken. This occurs because the separation efficiency obtained on PSF columns has been shown in prior studies to be superior to conventional columns, and the flow stream is split radially inside the outlet end fitting of the column, rather than in an axial post‐column flow stream split. As a result, the flow through the column can be five times higher than the flow through the MS. In this work, the degradation of amino acids in dilute nitric acid was used to illustrate the process. Separations were obtained in less than 12 s, although the reinjection process was initiated 6 s after the previous injection. The degradation rate constant of tryptophan, in the presence of tyrosine and phenylalanine, was determined. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.