A field-deployable GC-EI-HRTOF-MS for in situ characterization of volatile organic compounds
Abstract
Previous authors have demonstrated the value of coupling conventional gas chromatograph (GC) separation techniques with the new generation of electron-impact high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (EI-HR-ToF-MS) detectors for the measurement of halocarbons and semi-volatile organic species. Here, we present new instrumentation, analytical techniques and field data from the deployment of a GC-EI-HR-ToF-MS system in the mini Aerodyne mobile laboratory to sites upwind and downwind of San Antonio, Texas in May 2017. The instrument employed a multi-component adsorbent trap pre-concertation system followed by single-column separation. We will show results from the field work, including inter-comparison with other VOC measurements and characterization of C5-C10 hydrocarbon mixing ratios to distinguish urban and oil/gas emission sources in characterized air. We will discuss practical aspects of deployment of the GC-EI-HRTOF-MS in a mobile laboratory and system performance in the field. Will we also present further development of Aerodyne's TERN software package for chromatographic data analysis to processing of HRTOF-MS datasets.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017AGUFM.A44A..09L
- Keywords:
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- 0345 Pollution: urban and regional;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0365 Troposphere: composition and chemistry;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0394 Instruments and techniques;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 3360 Remote sensing;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES