质子转移反应飞行时间质谱仪的研制

Development of High-Performance Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer

  • 摘要: 本文介绍了一款自制的高性能质子转移反应飞行时间质谱仪(proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer, PTR-TOF MS),该系统主要由空心阴极放电离子源、质子转移反应管、高效离子传输区及高性能飞行时间质量分析器等组成。为减少离子在传输过程中的损失,提高系统的性能,保证各级真空稳定,采用四级差分真空设计,其中第一级为质子转移反应管、第二级为射频四极杆离子传输区、第三级为直流四极杆离子传输区、第四级为飞行时间质量分析器。根据质子转移反应试剂离子的质子亲和势大小,该系统可分析绝大多数挥发性有机物,同时排除空气组分的干扰。实验测试表明,系统分辨率(全高半峰宽,full width half maximum, FWHM)优于2 069(甲苯),检出限为0.36 μg/m3,线性范围为4个数量级,线性相关系数(R2)为0.991。该系统可为环境监测、工业过程及生物医药等领域提供一种新的实时在线快速分析VOCs的方法,加速国内PTR-TOF MS技术的发展,缩小与国际先进水平的差距。

     

    Abstract: This paper introduced a homemade high-performance proton transfer reaction time-of-fight mass spectrometer (PTR-TOF MS), which can be used for real-time online analysis and monitoring of complex organic gas mixtures. Proton transfer reaction ionization is one of the typical methods of “soft” ionization techniques, which generally takes water and hydronium ions as parent ions, and the objects which have higher proton affinity than water can be ionized. By integrating an orthogonal-injection reflectron time-of-flight mass analyzer and a micro-channel plate detector, the instrument’s resolution and sensitivity are significantly enhanced, with the characteristics of high sensitivity, a wide mass detection range, a low detection limit, a wide linear range and little sample pretreatment. The system is mainly composed of hollow cathode discharge ion source, proton transfer reaction tube, high efficiency ion transport region and high-performance time-of-flight mass analyzer. To reduce ion loss during transmission, improve system performance and ensure the stability of vacuum at all levels, the system adopts a four-stages of differential vacuum design, with the first stage being the proton transfer reaction tube, the second stage being the radio frequency quadrupole ion transport region, the third stage being the direct current quadrupole ion transport region, and the fourth stage being the time-of-flight mass analyzer. Based on the proton affinity of the reaction reagent ions, the system can analyze the majority of VOCs while excluding interference from air components. Experimental tests showed that the system’s resolution (full width half maximum, FWHM) is better than 2 069 (for toluene), with the detection limit of 0.36 μg/m3, a linear range of 4 orders of magnitude, and a linear correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.991. The development of this system provides a new method for online rapid analysis of VOCs in environmental monitoring, industrial processes, and biomedicine, accelerating the technical development of PTR-TOFMS domestically and narrowing the gap with the international advanced level.

     

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