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Using ATOFMS to Determine OC/EC Mass Fractions in Particles 

Authors: Matthew T. Spencer a; Kimberly A. Prather a
Affiliation:   a Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
DOI: 10.1080/02786820600729138
Publication Frequency: 12 issues per year
Published in: journal Aerosol Science and Technology, Volume 40, Issue 8 June 2006 , pages 585 - 594
First Published on: 01 June 2006
Formats available: HTML (English) : PDF (English)
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Abstract

Historically, obtaining quantitative chemical information using laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry for analyzing individual aerosol particles has been quite challenging. This is due in large part to fluctuations in the absolute ion signals resulting from inhomogeneities in the laser beam profile, as well as chemical matrix effects. Progress has been made in quantifying atomic species using high laser powers, but very few studies have been performed quantifying molecular species. In this study, promising results are obtained using a new approach to measure the fraction of organic carbon (OC) associated with elemental carbon (EC) in aerosol particles using single particle laser desorption ionization. A tandem differential mobility analyzer (TDMA) is used to generate OC/EC particles by size selecting EC particles of a given mobility diameter and then coating them with known thicknesses of OC measured using a second DMA. The mass spectra of the OC/EC particles exiting the second DMA are measured using an ultrafine aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (UF-ATOFMS). A calibration curve is produced with a linear correlation (R2 = 0.98) over the range of OC/EC ion intensity ratios observed in source and ambient studies. Importantly, the OC/EC values measured in ambient field tests with the UF-ATOFMS show a linear correlation (R2 = 0.69) with OC/EC mass ratios obtained using semi-continuous filter based thermo-optical measurements. The calibration procedure established herein represents a significant step toward quantification of OC and EC in sub-micron ambient particles using laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry.
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