Articles | Volume 3, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-3-537-2010
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-3-537-2010
03 May 2010
 | 03 May 2010

Development and characterization of a High-Temperature Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometer (HT-PTR-MS)

T. Mikoviny, L. Kaser, and A. Wisthaler

Abstract. We have developed a High-Temperature Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometer (HT-PTR-MS) in which both the ion source and the ion drift tube can be continuously operated at temperatures up to 250 °C. The instrument was characterized in a high E/N-mode (130 Td) and in a low E/N-mode (87 Td) at an operating temperature of 200 °C. Instrumental sensitivities and 2σ-detection limits were on the order of 50–110 cps/ppb and 100 ppt (1 s signal integration time), respectively. The HT-PTR-MS is primarily intended for measuring "sticky" or semi-volatile trace gases. Alternatively, it may be coupled to a particle collection/thermal desorption apparatus to measure particle-bound organics in near real-time. In view of these applications, we have measured instrumental response times for a series of reference compounds. 1/e2-response times for dimethyl sulfoxide, ammonia and monoethanolamine were in the sub-second to second regime. 1/e2-response times for levoglucosan, oxalic acid and cis-pinonic acid ranged from 8 to 370 s.

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