Quantification of Glycolaldehyde and Hydroxyacetone using Tandem Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Chemical ionization mass spectrometry was used to quantify concentrations of glycolaldehyde and hydroxyacetone in a coniferous forest in the Sierra Nevada Mountains during BEARPEX 2009. Glycolaldehyde and hydroxyacetone are second-generation oxidation products of isoprene and precursors of glyoxal and formaldehyde and methylglyoxal, respectively. The species were measured using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, enabling tandem mass spectrometry (MSMS). MSMS allows for the selective detection of glycolaldehyde, despite a mass analogue interference from acetic acid. Concentrations of glycolaldehyde and hydroxyacetone measured during BEARPEX 2009 are presented and discussed, as well as the method of detection and quantification of these species by tandem mass spectrometry.