Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-42gr6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-19T01:35:14.999Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Design of a Portable, Battery Powered Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer System for Real-Time Sampling of Materials

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Tim L Porter
Affiliation:
antimatter37@gmail.com, Northern Arizona University, Physics and Astronomy, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
T. Randy Dillingham
Affiliation:
randy.dillingham@nau.edu, Northern Arizona University, Physics and Astronomy, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
David M. Cornelison
Affiliation:
david.cornelison@nau.edu, Northern Arizona University, Physics and Astronomy, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
Rick J Venedam
Affiliation:
venedarj@nv.doe.gov, National Securities Technologies, LLC, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Gus Williams
Affiliation:
gwilliams@et.byu.edu, Brigham Young University, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Provo, Utah, United States
Get access

Abstract

We have constructed a low cost, portable, battery-powered quadrupole mass spectrometer for use in the analysis of gaseous, liquid or solid field samples. The system may be configured for continuous sampling of ambient gas samples, or for the analysis of small solid, liquid or gas samples in sealed glass vials. The system is capable of measuring partial pressures down to the 10-10 Torr range, and may be operated on battery power for several hours in a field deployment. In this paper, we present information on the design and testing of the instrument, as well as data taken on chlorinated hydrocarbons and other contaminants in water.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

[1] “Horiba-STEC, Austin, TX 78754.”Google Scholar
[2] “Pfeiffer Vacuum, NH, 03063.”Google Scholar
[3] “InstruTech, Longmont, CO 80503.”Google Scholar
[4] “Cosel, LTD, Hong Kong.”Google Scholar
[5] “Lenox Laser, CO.”Google Scholar
[6] Alvarado, J. S. and Rose, C., “Static Headspace Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds in Soil and Vegetation Samples for Site Characterization,” Talanta, vol. 62, pp. 1723, 2004.Google Scholar
[7] Vartabedian, R., “San Gabriel Valley a Hotbed of TCE Contamination,” in Los Angeles Times, Mar. 30, 2006.Google Scholar
[8] Poulopoulos, S. and Philippopoulos, C., “Influence of MTBE Addition into Gasoline on Automotive Exhaust EmissionsAtmospheric Environment, vol. 34, pp. 47814786, 2000.Google Scholar
[9] Nogueira, R. F. P., Alberici, R. M., Mendes, M. A., Jardin, W. F., and Eberlin, M. N., “Photocatalytic Degradation of Phenol and Trichloeethylene: On-Line and Real-Time Monitioring via Membrane Introduction Mass Spectrometry,” Applied CHemistry, vol. 38, pp. 17541758, 1999.Google Scholar
[10] DiPalma, T. M., Apicella, B., Armenante, M., Velotta, R., Wang, X., and Spinelli, N., “Dissociative Electron Impact Ionization of Methyl tert-butyl Ether: Total Ionization Cross Section and Kinetic Energy Distributions,” Chemical Physics Letters, vol. 400, pp. 191195, 2004.Google Scholar
[11] Bruno, T. J. and Svoronos, P. D. N., CRC Handbook of Fundamental Spectroscopic Correlation Charts: CRC Press, 2005.Google Scholar