Discrimination of isomers and isobars by varying the reduced-field across drift tube in proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS)

Proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) is a powerful technique for the real time trace gas analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, quadrupole mass spectrometer (MS) used in PTR-MS has a relatively low mass resolution and is therefore not suitable for differentiating isobars. Furthermore, because of the lack of chemical separation before analysis, isomers can not be identified, either. In the present study, by varying the reduced-field E/N in the reaction chamber with a range of 50–180 Td in PTR-MS, we studied the product ion distribution (PID) of three sets of isobars/isomers, i.e. n-propanol/iso-propanol/acetic acid, propanal/acetone and four structural isomers of butyl alcohol. The profiles of the reduced-field dependence (PFD) of the PID under the chosen E/N-values show obvious differences which can be used to discriminate between these isobars/isomers thus enabling the titled method. Noticeably, we have observed that even the isomers, in the case of four structural isomers of butyl alcohol, which show little difference with each other at high reduced-field, can be discriminated easily at low reduced-field. Finally, two examples for the application of this method are discussed: (1) cyclohexanone was identified to be a major compound in the headspace of medical infusion sets; and (2) the differentiation and quantification of propanal and acetone in three synthetic mixtures with different ratios. This study presents a potential method to distinguish and quantify isobars/isomers conveniently in practical applications of PTR-MS analysis without additional instrumental configurations.