How it Works: A Portable Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer
Routine monitoring of soil and groundwater are used to detect contamination from toxic chemicals. This contamination may be due to industrial runoff or wastewater effluent. Monitoring provides protection of local tributaries and surrounding property.
Problem: Routine monitoring of soil and groundwater are used to detect contamination from toxic chemicals. This contamination may be due to industrial runoff or wastewater effluent. Monitoring provides protection of local tributaries and surrounding property. How can sample areas be screened prior to sending samples to a laboratory for analysis, and how can sampling and analysis times be shortened when it is necessary to make urgent and critical decisions involving contaminated sites?
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| The TRIDION™ Gas Chromatograph-Toroidal Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer (GC-TMS) |
Solution: For industrial environmental monitoring programs, the ability to quickly analyze samples taken from nearby ground and water sources is key to environmental protection. The ability to analyze samples at the source without the need for fixed laboratory analysis can save time and money, and in the case of a spill can lead to improved response times for clean up. A sampling and analysis methodology with results produced in under three minutes without the need for sample storage at 4°C and transport back to a fixed base laboratory represents a significant time and cost savings.
The CUSTODION® Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) syringe, together with the TRIDION™ gas chromatograph- toroidal ion trap mass spectrometer (GC-TMS) can be used for rapid on-site sample extraction and analysis providing needed information used in the decision-making process. Following on-site sample analysis, informed decisions can be made regarding which samples should be sent to a laboratory for confirmatory analysis. In addition, on-site sample collection and extraction using SPME minimizes target analyte losses compared to traditional techniques that risk analyte loss during storage and transport.
The CUSTODION SPME sampling syringe consists of a 1cm fiber coated with a liquid polymer film, solid sorbent, or a combination. The SPME fiber is housed in a durable needle syringe that can be operated with a single hand. This makes operation easy even while wearing personal protective equipment. Much like a retractable ball point pen, the push button trigger on top of the CUSTODION syringe allows the SPME fiber to be extended and retracted into and out of a protective needle. The SPME fiber traps target analytes from air, headspace (solids or liquids), or direct sampling of liquids and dissolved solid samples.
The TRIDION GC-TMS features a low thermal mass (LTM) capillary gas chromatograph with high-speed temperature programming (>120°C/min) and a temperature range of 10 degrees above ambient to 300°C. The detector is a miniature toroidal ion trap mass spectrometer (TMS) with a nominal unit mass resolution over a mass range of 50 to 500 Daltons. The mass and temperature range of the instrument make it suitable for detection and identification of a wide range of chemicals. The system is totally self-contained, weighs 32 pounds, is both battery and line power operable, and has an onboard helium GC carrier gas cartridge. A VOC target compound library based on retention time and key mass ions is pre-loaded into the GC-TMS target compound library and used to positively identify compounds while in the field. The sample analysis and identification method is rapid, requiring
For more information about SPME and field portable GC-TMS, visit www.torion.com.