Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
www.atmos-meas-tech.net
1867-1381
1867-8548
2
1
2009
10.5194/amt-2-33-2009
http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/2/33/2009/
http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/2/33/2009/amt-2-33-2009.html
http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/2/33/2009/amt-2-33-2009.pdf
33
46
2009-02-12
Aerosol quantification with the Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer: detection limits and ionizer background effects
F. Drewnick
drewnick@mpch-mainz.mpg.de
S. S. Hings
M. R. Alfarra
A. S. H. Prevot
S. Borrmann
Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Particle Chemistry Department, Mainz, Germany
Paul Scherrer Institute, Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Villigen, Switzerland
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Mainz, Germany
now at: Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
Systematic laboratory experiments were performed to investigate
quantification of various species with two versions of the Aerodyne Aerosol
Mass Spectrometer, a Quadrupole Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (Q-AMS) and a
compact Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (c-ToF-AMS). Here we
present a new method to continuously determine the detection limits of the
AMS analyzers during regular measurements, yielding detection limit (<i>DL</i>)
information under various measurement conditions. Minimum detection limits
range from 0.03 μg m<sup>−3</sup> (nitrate, sulfate, and chloride) up to 0.5 μg m<sup>−3</sup>
(organics) for the Q-AMS. Those of the c-ToF-AMS are found
between 0.003 μg m<sup>−3</sup> (nitrate, sulfate) and 0.03 μg m<sup>−3</sup>
(ammonium, organics). The <i>DL</i> values found for the c-ToF-AMS were ~10
times lower than those of the Q-AMS, mainly due to differences in ion duty
cycle. Effects causing an increase of the detection limits include long-term
instrument contamination, measurement of high aerosol mass concentrations
and short-term instrument history. The self-cleaning processes which reduce
the instrument background after measurement of large aerosol concentrations
as well as the influences of increased instrument background on mass
concentration measurements are discussed. Finally, improvement of detection
limits by extension of averaging time intervals, selected or reduced ion
monitoring, and variation of particle-to-background measurement ratio are
investigated.
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