Dissociative electron attachment negative ion mass spectrometry: a chlorine-specific detector for gas chromatography

Abstract

This work describes the application of negative ion chemical ionization, optimized for dissociative electron attachment (DEA), to location of unknown trace chlorinated compounds in complex gas chromatograms by selected ion recording (SIR) of m / z 35 and 37. The DEA-SIR technique is compared with other GC detectors, including the electron capture detector, electrolytic conductivity detector, the atomic emission detector and the chemical reaction interface mass spectrometry method, with respect to selectivity for chlorine, sensitivity, linear dynamic range, and general robustness and ease of use. When applied to quantitative analysis of target analytes such as polychlorobiphenyls, the DEA-SIR method has potential problems arising from the possibility of suppression effects due to abundant co-eluting components, and possible alleviating measures are discussed. In addition to these practical investigations, literature information on the fundamental physical and chemical phenomena underlying the DEA process is summarized in order to guide future work on extension to other compound types and on general improvements to the technique.