Analytical Chemistry Seminar: Abigail Koss
February
1
Mon
2016
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Open to Public
Analytical & Environmental Chemistry Division and Atmospheric Chemistry Program Seminar
Jointly sponsored by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, CIRES, and the Environmental Program
Measurement of volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere using NO+ chemical ionization mass spectrometry
Abigail Koss, C. Warneke, P. Veres, B. Yuan, M. Coggon, J.A. de Gouw
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry - University of Colorado Boulder
The underutilized technique of NO+ chemical ionization mass spectrometry (NO+ CIMS) may improve volatile organic compound (VOC) measurement in the troposphere. In this talk I describe the development of an NO+ CIMS instrument and evaluate the usefulness of the NO+ technique. The evaluation is established through labwork using a gas-chromatography (GC) interface, in-situ measurement of urban air using a GC interface, and direct measurement of urban air. NO+ is useful for fast (1Hz) measurement of carbonyl isomers, for small aliphatics, and large (C13-C15) n-alkanes. The NO+ CIMS technique may be an extremely useful approach for studies of SOA formation, photochemistry, and emissions from fossil fuels and biomass burning.