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Ultrafast laser analysis of nitro-PAHs using laser desorption/femtosecond ionization mass spectrometry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2002

A.D. TASKER
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom
L. ROBSON
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom
S.M. HANKIN
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom
K.W.D. LEDINGHAM
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom AWE plc., Aldermaston, Reading RG7 4PR, UK
R.P. SINGHAL
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom
X. FANG
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom
T. MCCANNY
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom
C. KOSMIDIS
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, GR-45110, Ioannina, Greece
P. TZALLAS
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, GR-45110, Ioannina, Greece
A.J. LANGLEY
Affiliation:
Central Laser Facility, CLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
P.F. TADAY
Affiliation:
Central Laser Facility, CLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
E.J. DIVALL
Affiliation:
Central Laser Facility, CLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom

Abstract

Analytical interest in nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) is related to their high mutagenicity and potential presence in a variety of environmental media such as diesel exhaust and urban air particulate matter. Furthermore, fundamental interest in these molecular systems stems from the photophysics of the labile NO2 functional group, which has been investigated using mass spectrometry. The nitro-PAHs, 1-nitronaphthalene, 9-nitroanthracene, and 1-nitropyrene, have been studied using both femtosecond (λ = 395 and 790 nm) and nanosecond (λ = 266 nm) lasers coupled to a reflectron time of flight mass spectrometer. Analysis of mass spectra taken over a range of intensities (1014–1015 W/cm2) has demonstrated that structurally specific ions can be observed for each molecule, with little or no fragmentation at lower intensities. It has also been found that an intact parent ion can be detected using femtosecond ionization at 395 nm in each case. This work demonstrates the potential use of laser desorption/femtosecond laser mass spectrometry (LD/FLMS) as an analytical technique for the detection of nitro-PAHs and other environmental pollutants and as a means of studying the photodynamics of labile molecular systems.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press

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