Highly oxygenated organic molecule cluster decomposition in atmospheric pressure interface time-of-flight mass spectrometers
<p>Identification of atmospheric molecular clusters and measurement of their concentrations by atmospheric pressure interface time-of-flight (APi-TOF) mass spectrometers may be affected by systematic error due to possible decomposition of clusters inside the instrument. Here, we perform numeri...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
| Online Access: | https://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/13/3581/2020/amt-13-3581-2020.pdf |
| Summary: | <p>Identification of atmospheric molecular clusters and measurement of their concentrations by atmospheric pressure interface time-of-flight (APi-TOF) mass spectrometers may be affected by
systematic error due to possible decomposition of clusters inside the instrument. Here, we perform numerical simulations of decomposition in an APi-TOF mass spectrometers and formation in the atmosphere of a set of clusters which involve a representative kind of highly oxygenated organic molecule (HOM), with the molecular formula <span class="inline-formula">C<sub>10</sub>H<sub>16</sub>O<sub>8</sub></span>. This elemental composition corresponds to one of the most common mass peaks observed in experiments on ozone-initiated autoxidation of <span class="inline-formula"><i>α</i></span>-pinene. Our results show that decomposition is highly unlikely for the considered clusters, provided their bonding energy is large enough to allow formation in the atmosphere in the first place.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1867-1381 1867-8548 |