Fast detection of toxic industrial compounds by laser ion mobility spectrometry

Carola Oberhuettinger; Andreas Langmeier; Helmut Oberpriller; Matthias Kessler; Johann Goebel; Gerhard Mueller

doi:10.1117/12.820855

30 April 2009 Fast detection of toxic industrial compounds by laser ion mobility spectrometry

Carola Oberhuettinger, Andreas Langmeier, Helmut Oberpriller, Matthias Kessler, Johann Goebel, Gerhard Mueller

Proceedings Volume 7312, Advanced Environmental, Chemical, and Biological Sensing Technologies VI; 73120S (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.820855
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2009, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

Trace detection of toxic industrial compounds has been investigated with the help of a laser ion mobility spectrometer (LIMS). The LIMS was equipped with a tuneable UV laser source for enabling two-photon ionization of the analyte gases and an ion drift tube for the measurement of the ion mobility. Different aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons as well as amines were investigated. We find that the first class of molecules can be well ionized due to the delocalization of their valence electron shells and the second due to the presence of non-bonding electrons in lone-pair orbitals. Selectivity of detection is attained on the basis of molecule-specific photo-ionization and drift time spectra. Ion currents were found to scale linearly with the substance concentration over several orders of magnitude down to the detection limits in the ppt range. As besides toxic industrial compounds, similar electron configurations also occur in illicit drugs, toxins and pharmaceutical substances, LIMS can be applied in a variety of fields ranging from environmental analysis, air pollution monitoring, drug detection and chemical process monitoring.

Citation Download Citation

Carola Oberhuettinger, Andreas Langmeier, Helmut Oberpriller, Matthias Kessler, Johann Goebel, and Gerhard Mueller "Fast detection of toxic industrial compounds by laser ion mobility spectrometry", Proc. SPIE 7312, Advanced Environmental, Chemical, and Biological Sensing Technologies VI, 73120S (30 April 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.820855

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