| Title: | Direct and Sensitive Detection of CWA Simulants by Active Capillary Plasma Ionization Coupled to a Handheld Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer |
| Author(s): | Wolf JC; Etter R; Schaer M; Siegenthaler P; Zenobi R; |
| Address: | "Department of Chemistry and Applied Bioscience, ETH Zurich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland. j.c.wolf@gmx.de. Department of Chemistry and Applied Bioscience, ETH Zurich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland. Federal Office for Civil Protection FOCP, Spiez Laboratory, Analytical Chemistry Branch, CH-3700, Spiez, Switzerland. Department of Chemistry and Applied Bioscience, ETH Zurich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland. zenobi@org.chem.ethz.ch" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s13361-016-1374-4 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1879-1123 (Electronic) 1044-0305 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "An active capillary plasma ionization (ACI) source was coupled to a handheld mass spectrometer (Mini 10.5; Aston Labs, West Lafayette, IN, USA) and applied to the direct gas-phase detection and quantification of chemical warfare agent (CWA) related chemicals. Complementing the discontinuous atmospheric pressure interface (DAPI) of the Mini 10.5 mass spectrometer with an additional membrane pump, a quasi-continuous sample introduction through the ACI source was achieved. Nerve agent simulants (three dialkyl alkylphosphonates, a dialkyl phosporamidate, and the pesticide dichlorvos) were detected at low gas-phase concentrations with limits of detection ranging from 1.0 mug/m(3) to 6.3 mug/m(3). Our results demonstrate a sensitivity enhancement for portable MS-instrumentation by using an ACI source, enabling direct, quantitative measurements of volatile organic compounds. Due to its high sensitivity, selectivity, low power consumption (<80 W) and weight (<13 kg), this instrumentation has the potential for direct on-site CWA detection as required by military or civil protection. Graphical Abstract »aΓ" |
| Keywords: | Chemical warfare agent simulants Dielectric barrier discharge ionization Handheld mass spectrometer; |
| Notes: | "PubMed-not-MEDLINEWolf, Jan-Christoph Etter, Raphael Schaer, Martin Siegenthaler, Peter Zenobi, Renato eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2016/03/30 J Am Soc Mass Spectrom. 2016 Jul; 27(7):1197-202. doi: 10.1007/s13361-016-1374-4. Epub 2016 Mar 28" |
