High surface area membrane introduction mass spectrometry for analysis of volatile and semi‐volatile organic compounds in air
Abstract
The construction, optimization, and testing of a novel geometry for a semi‐permeable polydimethylsiloxane membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS) system is described. A long poly(dimethylsiloxane) capillary membrane (0.30 mm i.d., 0.64 mm o.d., 60 cm long) was positioned coaxially inside polytetrafluoroethylene tubing (0.80 mm i.d. and 1.60 mm o.d.), allowing for a large surface area membrane of relatively small thickness. Helium, flowing counter‐current on the vacuum side of the membrane, swept the permeate into the mass spectrometer. This optimized geometry for permeation MIMS air analysis allows on‐line detection of volatile and semi‐volatile organic compounds of environmental interest, with limits of detection in the ppt range and a linear response over 3 to 4 orders of magnitude. The system is characterized by short rise and fall times, 10 and 48 s, respectively, for toluene. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Aug 02, 2001
- Source ID
- 10.1002/rcm.401
Entities
People
- Laurence Charles
- Leah S. Riter
- R. Graham Cooks
- Zoltán Takáts
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research