A novel inlet system for online chemical analysis of semi-volatile submicron particulate matter
We herein present a novel modular inlet system designed to be coupled to low-pressure gas analyzers for online chemical characterization of semi-volatile submicron particles. The "chemical analysis of aerosol online" (CHARON) inlet consists of a gas-phase denuder for stripping off gas-phas...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2015-03-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
| Online Access: | http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/8/1353/2015/amt-8-1353-2015.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818826165913124864 |
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| author | P. Eichler M. Müller B. D'Anna A. Wisthaler |
| author_facet | P. Eichler M. Müller B. D'Anna A. Wisthaler |
| author_sort | P. Eichler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We herein present a novel modular inlet system designed to be coupled to
low-pressure gas analyzers for online chemical characterization of
semi-volatile submicron particles. The "chemical analysis of aerosol
online" (CHARON) inlet consists of a gas-phase denuder for stripping off
gas-phase analytes, an aerodynamic lens for particle collimation combined
with an inertial sampler for the particle-enriched flow and a
thermodesorption unit for particle volatilization prior to chemical
analysis. The denuder was measured to remove gas-phase organics with an
efficiency > 99.999% and to transmit particles in the
100–750 nm size range with a 75–90% efficiency. The measured
average particle enrichment factor in the subsampling flow from the
aerodynamic lens was 25.6, which is a factor of 3 lower than the calculated
theoretical optimum.
<br><br>
We coupled the CHARON inlet to a proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass
spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) which quantitatively detects most organic analytes
and ammonia. The combined CHARON-PTR-ToF-MS setup is thus capable of
measuring both the organic and the ammonium fraction in submicron particles
in real time. Individual organic compounds can be detected down to levels of
10–20 ng m<sup>−3</sup>. Two proof-of-principle studies were carried out for
demonstrating the analytical power of this new instrumental setup:
(i) oxygenated organics and their partitioning between the gas and the
particulate phase were observed from the reaction of limonene with ozone and
(ii) nicotine was measured in cigarette smoke particles demonstrating that
selected organic target compounds can be detected in submicron particles in
real time. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T00:23:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-51a7dd89c8d842019180a6b4f0ef8117 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1867-1381 1867-8548 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T00:23:20Z |
| publishDate | 2015-03-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
| spelling | doaj.art-51a7dd89c8d842019180a6b4f0ef81172022-12-21T20:45:25ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Measurement Techniques1867-13811867-85482015-03-01831353136010.5194/amt-8-1353-2015A novel inlet system for online chemical analysis of semi-volatile submicron particulate matterP. Eichler0M. Müller1B. D'Anna2A. Wisthaler3Institut für Ionenphysik und Angewandte Physik, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaInstitut für Ionenphysik und Angewandte Physik, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaCNRS, UMR5256, IRCELYON, Institut de recherches sur la catalyse et l'environnement de Lyon, Villeurbanne, Université de Lyon, Lyon, 69626, FranceInstitut für Ionenphysik und Angewandte Physik, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaWe herein present a novel modular inlet system designed to be coupled to low-pressure gas analyzers for online chemical characterization of semi-volatile submicron particles. The "chemical analysis of aerosol online" (CHARON) inlet consists of a gas-phase denuder for stripping off gas-phase analytes, an aerodynamic lens for particle collimation combined with an inertial sampler for the particle-enriched flow and a thermodesorption unit for particle volatilization prior to chemical analysis. The denuder was measured to remove gas-phase organics with an efficiency > 99.999% and to transmit particles in the 100–750 nm size range with a 75–90% efficiency. The measured average particle enrichment factor in the subsampling flow from the aerodynamic lens was 25.6, which is a factor of 3 lower than the calculated theoretical optimum. <br><br> We coupled the CHARON inlet to a proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) which quantitatively detects most organic analytes and ammonia. The combined CHARON-PTR-ToF-MS setup is thus capable of measuring both the organic and the ammonium fraction in submicron particles in real time. Individual organic compounds can be detected down to levels of 10–20 ng m<sup>−3</sup>. Two proof-of-principle studies were carried out for demonstrating the analytical power of this new instrumental setup: (i) oxygenated organics and their partitioning between the gas and the particulate phase were observed from the reaction of limonene with ozone and (ii) nicotine was measured in cigarette smoke particles demonstrating that selected organic target compounds can be detected in submicron particles in real time.http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/8/1353/2015/amt-8-1353-2015.pdf |
| spellingShingle | P. Eichler M. Müller B. D'Anna A. Wisthaler A novel inlet system for online chemical analysis of semi-volatile submicron particulate matter Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
| title | A novel inlet system for online chemical analysis of semi-volatile submicron particulate matter |
| title_full | A novel inlet system for online chemical analysis of semi-volatile submicron particulate matter |
| title_fullStr | A novel inlet system for online chemical analysis of semi-volatile submicron particulate matter |
| title_full_unstemmed | A novel inlet system for online chemical analysis of semi-volatile submicron particulate matter |
| title_short | A novel inlet system for online chemical analysis of semi-volatile submicron particulate matter |
| title_sort | novel inlet system for online chemical analysis of semi volatile submicron particulate matter |
| url | http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/8/1353/2015/amt-8-1353-2015.pdf |
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