Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 175-182 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | International Journal for Ion Mobility Spectrometry |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 19 Aug 2016 |
Abstract
For the ionization of gas mixtures, several ionization sources can be coupled to an ion mobility spectrometer. Radioactive sources, e.g. beta radiators like 63Ni and 3H, are the most commonly used ionization sources. However, due to legal restrictions radioactive ionization sources are not applicable in certain applications. Non-radioactive alternatives are corona discharge ionization sources or photoionization sources. However, using an electron gun allows regulation of ion production rate, ionization time and recombination time by simply changing the operating parameters, which can be utilized to enhance the analytical performance of ion mobility spectrometers. In this work, the impact of an ionization source parameter variation on the ion mobility spectrum is demonstrated. Increasing the ion production rate, the amount of the generated ions increases leading to higher signal intensity while the noise remains constant. Thus, the signal to noise ratio can be increased, leading to better limits of detection. In a next step, the ion production rate is kept constant while the influence of ionization time on the ion mobility spectrum is investigated. It is shown, that varying the ionization time allows the determination of the reaction rate constants as additional information to the ion mobility. Furthermore, we show the prevention of discrimination processes by using short ionization times combined with an increased ion production rate. Thus, the limit of detection for benzene in presence of toluene is improved. Additionally, it is shown that using ion-ion recombination leads to the detection of the ion species with the highest proton affinity at higher recombination times while the low proton affine ions already recombined. Thus, the measurement of the ion mobility spectra at a defined recombination time allows a suppression of disturbing low proton affine substances.
Keywords
- Ion generation, Ion production rate, Ion-ion recombination, Pulsed non-radioactive electron gun, Reaction rates
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Chemistry(all)
- Spectroscopy
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In: International Journal for Ion Mobility Spectrometry, Vol. 19, No. 4, 19.08.2016, p. 175-182.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Improving the analytical performance of ion mobility spectrometer using a non-radioactive electron source
AU - Heptner, Andre
AU - Angerstein, Nico
AU - Reinecke, Tobias
AU - Bunert, Erik
AU - Kirk, Ansgar T.
AU - Niedzwiecki, Igor
AU - Zimmermann, Stefan
N1 - Funding information: This research is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).
PY - 2016/8/19
Y1 - 2016/8/19
N2 - For the ionization of gas mixtures, several ionization sources can be coupled to an ion mobility spectrometer. Radioactive sources, e.g. beta radiators like 63Ni and 3H, are the most commonly used ionization sources. However, due to legal restrictions radioactive ionization sources are not applicable in certain applications. Non-radioactive alternatives are corona discharge ionization sources or photoionization sources. However, using an electron gun allows regulation of ion production rate, ionization time and recombination time by simply changing the operating parameters, which can be utilized to enhance the analytical performance of ion mobility spectrometers. In this work, the impact of an ionization source parameter variation on the ion mobility spectrum is demonstrated. Increasing the ion production rate, the amount of the generated ions increases leading to higher signal intensity while the noise remains constant. Thus, the signal to noise ratio can be increased, leading to better limits of detection. In a next step, the ion production rate is kept constant while the influence of ionization time on the ion mobility spectrum is investigated. It is shown, that varying the ionization time allows the determination of the reaction rate constants as additional information to the ion mobility. Furthermore, we show the prevention of discrimination processes by using short ionization times combined with an increased ion production rate. Thus, the limit of detection for benzene in presence of toluene is improved. Additionally, it is shown that using ion-ion recombination leads to the detection of the ion species with the highest proton affinity at higher recombination times while the low proton affine ions already recombined. Thus, the measurement of the ion mobility spectra at a defined recombination time allows a suppression of disturbing low proton affine substances.
AB - For the ionization of gas mixtures, several ionization sources can be coupled to an ion mobility spectrometer. Radioactive sources, e.g. beta radiators like 63Ni and 3H, are the most commonly used ionization sources. However, due to legal restrictions radioactive ionization sources are not applicable in certain applications. Non-radioactive alternatives are corona discharge ionization sources or photoionization sources. However, using an electron gun allows regulation of ion production rate, ionization time and recombination time by simply changing the operating parameters, which can be utilized to enhance the analytical performance of ion mobility spectrometers. In this work, the impact of an ionization source parameter variation on the ion mobility spectrum is demonstrated. Increasing the ion production rate, the amount of the generated ions increases leading to higher signal intensity while the noise remains constant. Thus, the signal to noise ratio can be increased, leading to better limits of detection. In a next step, the ion production rate is kept constant while the influence of ionization time on the ion mobility spectrum is investigated. It is shown, that varying the ionization time allows the determination of the reaction rate constants as additional information to the ion mobility. Furthermore, we show the prevention of discrimination processes by using short ionization times combined with an increased ion production rate. Thus, the limit of detection for benzene in presence of toluene is improved. Additionally, it is shown that using ion-ion recombination leads to the detection of the ion species with the highest proton affinity at higher recombination times while the low proton affine ions already recombined. Thus, the measurement of the ion mobility spectra at a defined recombination time allows a suppression of disturbing low proton affine substances.
KW - Ion generation
KW - Ion production rate
KW - Ion-ion recombination
KW - Pulsed non-radioactive electron gun
KW - Reaction rates
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84982274189&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12127-016-0205-4
DO - 10.1007/s12127-016-0205-4
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84982274189
VL - 19
SP - 175
EP - 182
JO - International Journal for Ion Mobility Spectrometry
JF - International Journal for Ion Mobility Spectrometry
SN - 1435-6163
IS - 4
ER -