Analysis of the ion mobility spectra of chloroacetophenone, tris(2-chloroethyl)amine, and methanethiol

Abstract

Objectives. To determine the ion mobilities of chloroacetophenone, tris(2-chloroethyl)amine, and methanethiol; the structure of ions corresponding to characteristic signals; the detection limits of chloroacetophenone, tris(2-chloroethyl)amine, and methanethiol with the Kerber-T ion drift detector and the Segment automatic stationary gas detector.Methods. Ion mobility spectrometry was used in order to determine the ion mobilities and detect analytes. The enthalpies of reactions of ion formation were calculated using the ORCA 4.1.1 software by means of the B3LYP density functional method with the 6-31G(d,p) basis set.Results. The ion mobilities of chloroacetophenone, tris(2-chloroethyl)amine, and methanethiol were determined. A method for recording ion mobility spectra and their mathematical processing was developed. The dependencies of the change in ion mobility spectra on the analyte concentration were also studied. Possible mechanisms were proposed for the formation of the ion mobility spectra observed, in accordance with the ionization features of chloroacetophenone, tris(2-chloroethyl)amine, and methanethiol. The enthalpies of ion formation were calculated. The ionization schemes of the compounds were shown. The generalized results of experimental studies were presented, as were the features of compound identification taking into account the structure of the spectra, the concentrations of substances, and the detection conditions.Conclusions. Characteristic signals of chloroacetophenone, tris(2-chloroethyl)amine, and methanethiol were identified. All studied hazardous substances can be detected with an ion mobility spectrometer at concentrations at the ppm level. The following detection limits of the substances were determined with the Segment gas detector: chloroacetophenone, 245 mg/m3; tris(2-chloroethyl)amine, 0.01 mg/m3; and methanethiol, 0.8 mg/m3.