Evidence of neutral radical induced analyte ion transformations in APPI and near-VUV APLI

Charge Exchange Reaction in Dopant-Assisted Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization and Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization

The efficiencies of charge exchange reaction in dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (DA-APCI) and dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization (DA-APPI) mass spectrometry (MS) were compared by flow injection analysis. Fourteen individual compounds and a commercial mixture of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were chosen as model analytes to cover a wide range of polarities, gas-phase ionization energies, and proton affinities. Chlorobenzene was used as the dopant, and methanol/water (80/20) as the solvent. In both techniques, analytes formed the same ions (radical cations, protonated molecules, and/or fragments). However, in DA-APCI, the relative efficiency of charge exchange versus proton transfer was lower than in DA-APPI. This is suggested to be because in DA-APCI both dopant and solvent clusters can be ionized, and the formed reagent ions can react with the analytes via competing charge exchange and proton transfer reactions. In DA-APPI, on the other hand, the main reagents are dopant-derived radical cations, which favor ionization of analytes via charge exchange. The efficiency of charge exchange in both DA-APPI and DA-APCI was shown to depend heavily on the solvent flow rate, with best efficiency seen at lowest flow rates studied (0.05 and 0.1 mL/min). Both DA-APCI and DA-APPI showed the radical cation of chlorobenzene at 0.05-0.1 mL/min flow rate, but at increasing flow rate, the abundance of chlorobenzene M(+.) decreased and reagent ion populations deriving from different gas-phase chemistry were recorded. The formation of these reagent ions explains the decreasing ionization efficiency and the differences in charge exchange between the techniques. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Design Study of an Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization Interface for GC-MS

This contribution reports on the development of an atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) source interfacing a gas chromatograph (GC) with a bench-top Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometer (MS). We present efforts on method development aiming at high temperature stability (325°C), constant low impurity levels upon prolonged source operation, and efficient reaction volume irradiation combined with minimum peak broadening. The performance throughout each iterative development step was carefully assessed. The final GC-APPI-MS setup demonstrated femtogram-on-column sensitivity and chromatographic peaks of Gaussian shape with base peak widths <2 s for even the highest boiling compounds present in different EPA standard mixtures. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

The ionization mechanisms in direct and dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization and atmospheric pressure laser ionization

A novel, gas-tight API interface for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to study the ionization mechanism in direct and dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) and atmospheric pressure laser ionization (APLI). Eight analytes (ethylbenzene, bromobenzene, naphthalene, anthracene, benzaldehyde, pyridine, quinolone, and acridine) with varying ionization energies (IEs) and proton affinities (PAs), and four common APPI dopants (toluene, acetone, anisole, and chlorobenzene) were chosen. All the studied compounds were ionized by direct APPI, forming mainly molecular ions. Addition of dopants suppressed the signal of the analytes with IEs above the IE of the dopant. For compounds with suitable IEs or Pas, the dopants increased the ionization efficiency as the analytes could be ionized through dopant-mediated gas-phase reactions, such as charge exchange, proton transfer, and other rather unexpected reactions, such as formation of [M + 77](+) in the presence of chlorobenzene. Experiments with deuterated toluene as the dopant verified that in case of proton transfer, the proton originated from the dopant instead of proton-bound solvent clusters, as in conventional open or non-tight APPI sources. In direct APLI using a 266 nm laser, a narrower range of compounds was ionized than in direct APPI, because of exceedingly high IEs or unfavorable two-photon absorption cross-sections. Introduction of dopants in the APLI system changed the ionization mechanism to similar dopant-mediated gas-phase reactions with the dopant as in APPI, which produced mainly ions of the same form as in APPI, and ionized a wider range of analytes than direct APLI.

Capillary atmospheric pressure electron capture ionization (cAPECI): a highly efficient ionization method for nitroaromatic compounds

We report on a novel method for atmospheric pressure ionization of compounds with elevated electron affinity (e.g., nitroaromatic compounds) or gas phase acidity (e.g., phenols), respectively. The method is based on the generation of thermal electrons by the photo-electric effect, followed by electron capture of oxygen when air is the gas matrix yielding O2(-) or of the analyte directly with nitrogen as matrix. Charge transfer or proton abstraction by O2(-) leads to the ionization of the analytes. The interaction of UV-light with metals is a clean method for the generation of thermal electrons at atmospheric pressure. Furthermore, only negative ions are generated and neutral radical formation is minimized, in contrast to discharge- or dopant assisted methods. Ionization takes place inside the transfer capillary of the mass spectrometer leading to comparably short transfer times of ions to the high vacuum region of the mass spectrometer. This strongly reduces ion transformation processes, resulting in mass spectra that more closely relate to the neutral analyte distribution. cAPECI is thus a soft and selective ionization method with detection limits in the pptV range. In comparison to standard ionization methods (e.g., PTR), cAPECI is superior with respect to both selectivity and achievable detection limits. cAPECI demonstrates to be a promising ionization method for applications in relevant fields as, for example, explosives detection and atmospheric chemistry.

Atmospheric pressure ion source development: experimental validation of simulated ion trajectories within complex flow and electrical fields

Three-dimensionally (3D) resolved ion trajectory calculations within the complex viscous flow field of an atmospheric pressure ion source are presented. The model calculations are validated with spatially resolved measurements of the relative sensitivity distribution within the source enclosure, referred to as the distribution of ion acceptance (DIA) of the mass analyzer. In previous work, we have shown that the DIA shapes as well as the maximum signal strengths strongly depend on ion source operational parameters such as gas flows and temperatures, as well as electrical field gradients established by various source electrode potentials (e.g., capillary inlet port potential and spray shield potential). In all cases studied, distinct, reproducible, and, to some extent, surprising DIA patterns were observed. We have thus attempted to model selected experimental operational source modes (called operational points) using a validated computational flow dynamics derived 3D-velocity field as an input parameter set for SIMION/SDS, along with a suite of custom software for data analysis and parameter set processing. Despite the complexity of the system, the modeling results reproduce the experimentally derived DIA unexpectedly well. It is concluded that SIMION/SDS in combination with accurate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) input data and adequate analysis software is capable of successfully modeling operational points of an atmospheric pressure ion (API) source. This approach should be very useful in the computer-aided design of future API sources.

The role of ion-bound cluster formation in negative ion mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

The ionization mechanisms operative in negative ion atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry are far from being properly understood. In an excess of oxygen superoxide (O(2)(-)) is generally the primary charge-carrying species that is generated. However, subsequent reactions leading to the finally detected ion signals remain obscure.

METHODS

Since adiabatic expansion induced cluster growth and collision-induced dissociation (CID) processes rendered a representative sampling of ion distributions present in the source difficult, a custom-built thermally sampling time-of-flight mass spectrometer was used for the investigations. Using atmospheric pressure laser ionization of toluene as the reagent gas, high yields of thermal electrons were observed, but only negligible amounts of by-products. Ab initio calculations for individual ion/molecule reaction pathways were performed.

RESULTS

Electron capture by molecular oxygen resulted in the formation of subsequent superoxide water clusters as well as distinct analyte-adduct ions. By adjusting the extent of CID within the ion optical stages of the mass spectrometer, the cluster distribution changes to smaller cluster sizes and the analyte signals strongly shifted towards M(-) or [M-H](-). The observed superoxide water cluster distribution was close to thermal. The theoretical results confirmed the experimental findings.

CONCLUSIONS

In negative atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry the water concentration in the ion source (determining the ionization efficiency) and the CID energy provided through electrical fields (determining the ion distribution) are primary, critical parameters for the observed overall ionization mechanism and efficiency.

Impact of different ionization methods on the molecular assignments of asphaltenes by FT-ICR mass spectrometry

Over the years, ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry has successfully illustrated the extreme complexity of crude oil and related solubility or polarity based fractions on a molecular level. However, the applied ionization technique greatly influences the outcome and may provide misleading information. In this work, we investigate the atmospheric pressure laser ionization (APLI) technique coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer to analyze the asphaltene fraction of a crude oil. These results were compared to data obtained by using other existing atmospheric pressure ionization methods. Furthermore elemental analysis and solid state NMR were used to obtain the bulk characteristics of the asphaltene sample. The results of the different ionization techniques were compared with the bulk properties in order to describe the potential discrimination effects of the ionization techniques that were observed. The results showed that APLI expands the range of the assigned molecules, while retaining information already observed with the generally used ion sources.

Analysis of lipids with desorption atmospheric pressure photoionization-mass spectrometry (DAPPI-MS) and desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (DESI-MS)

In this article, the effect of spray solvent on the analysis of selected lipids including fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, triacylglycerols, steroids, phospholipids, and sphingolipids has been studied by two different ambient mass spectrometry (MS) methods, desorption electrospray ionization-MS (DESI-MS) and desorption atmospheric pressure photoionization-MS (DAPPI-MS). The ionization of the lipids with DESI and DAPPI was strongly dependent on the spray solvent. In most cases, the lipids were detected as protonated or deprotonated molecules; however, other ions were also formed, such as adduct ions (in DESI), [M-H](+) ions (in DESI and DAPPI), radical ions (in DAPPI), and abundant oxidation products (in DESI and DAPPI). DAPPI provided efficient desorption and ionization for neutral and less polar as well as for ionic lipids but caused extensive fragmentation for larger and more labile compounds because of a thermal desorption process. DESI was more suitable for the analysis of the large and labile lipids, but the ionization efficiency for less polar lipids was poor. Both methods were successfully applied to the direct analysis of lipids from pharmaceutical and food products. Although DESI and DAPPI provide efficient analysis of lipids, the multiple and largely unpredictable ionization reactions may set challenges for routine lipid analysis with these methods.

A novel APPI-MS setup for in situ degradation product studies of atmospherically relevant compounds: capillary atmospheric pressure photo ionization (cAPPI)

We report on the development of a novel atmospheric pressure photoionization setup and its applicability for in situ degradation product studies of atmospherically relevant compounds. A custom miniature spark discharge lamp was embedded into an ion transfer capillary, which separates the atmospheric pressure from the low pressure region in the first differential pumping stage of a conventional atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer. The lamp operates with a continuous argon flow and produces intense light emissions in the VUV. The custom lamp is operated windowless and efficiently illuminates the sample flow through the transfer capillary on an area smaller than 1 mm(2). Limits of detection in the lower ppbV range, a temporal resolution of milliseconds in the positive as well as the quasi simultaneously operating negative ion mode, and a significant reduction of ion transformation processes render this system applicable to real time studies of rapidly changing chemical systems. The method termed capillary atmospheric pressure photo ionization (cAPPI) is characterized with respect to the lamp emission properties as a function of the operating conditions, temporal response, and its applicability for in situ degradation product studies of atmospherically relevant compounds, respectively.

Atmospheric pressure laser ionization (APLI) coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry applied to petroleum samples analysis: comparison with electrospray ionization and atmospheric pressure photoionization methods

The analysis of crude oil samples remains a tough challenge due to the complexity of the matrix and the broad range of physical and chemical properties of the various individual compounds present. In this work, atmospheric pressure laser ionization (APLI) is utilized as a complementary tool to other ionization techniques for crude oil analysis. Mass spectra obtained with electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) are compared. APLI is primarily sensitive towards non-polar aromatic hydrocarbons, which are generally present in high amounts especially in heavy crude oil samples. The ionization mechanisms of APLI vs. APPI are further investigated. The results indicate the advantages of APLI over established methods like ESI and APPI. The application of APLI in combination with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) is thus demonstrated to be a powerful tool for the analysis of aromatic species in complex crude oil fractions.