Tropospheric Chemistry: VOC Instruments

Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS)

Principle of the Measurement

Ionization of VOCs by proton transfer with hydronium ions (H3O+)
Detection using a quadrupole mass spectrometer

Species Measured

1. Aromatics
2. Biogenic VOCs (isoprene, monoterpenes)
3. Alcohols
4. Ketones
5. Acids
6. Aldehydes
7. Nitriles
8. Peroxy nitrates
9. Dimethyl sulfide

Time Response / Detection Limit

1-10 seconds / 10-100 pptv

Manufacturer

Ionicon Analytik

Field Projects

Deployed onboard the NOAA WP-3D (and other research aircraft), the NOAA R/V Ronald H. Brown, the CSD mobile laboratory, and at several ground sites.

• INDOEX 1999
• MINOS 2001
• ITCT 2002
• NEAQS 2002
• ICARTT 2004
• MILAGRO 2006
• TexAQS 2006
• BEARPEX 2007
• ARCPAC 2008
• ICEALOT 2008
• CalNex 2010
• NACHTT 2011
• BioCORN 2011
• SONNE 2012
• UBWOS 2012
• SENEX 2013

Key Publications

J. A. de Gouw, and C. Warneke, Measurements of volatile organic compounds in the Earth's atmosphere using proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry, Mass Spectrometry Reviews, doi:10.1002/mas.20119, 2007.

J. A. de Gouw, C. Warneke, R. Holzinger, T. Klupfel, and J. Williams, Inter-comparison between airborne measurements of methanol, acetonitrile and acetone using two differently configured PTR-MS instruments, International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, doi:10.1016/j.ijms.2004.07.025, 2004.

J. A. de Gouw, P. D. Goldan, C. Warneke, W. C. Kuster, J. M. Roberts, M. Marchewka, S. B. Bertman, A. A. P. Pszenny, and W. C. Keene, Validation of proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) measurements of gas-phase organic compounds in the atmosphere during the New England Air Quality Study (NEAQS) in 2002, Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, doi:10.1029/2003JD003863, 2003.

C. Warneke, J. A. de Gouw, W. C. Kuster, P. D. Goldan, and R. Fall, Validation of atmospheric VOC measurements by proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry using a gas-chromatographic preseparation method, Environmental Science & Technology, doi:10.1021/es026266i, 2003.

J. A. de Gouw, C. Warneke, T. Karl, G. Eerdekens, C. van der Veen, and R. Fall, Sensitivity and specificity of atmospheric trace gas detection by proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry, International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, doi:10.1016/S1387-3806(02)00926-0, 2003.

C. Warneke, C. van der Veen, S. Luxembourg, J. A. de Gouw, and A. Kok, Measurements of benzene and toluene in ambient air using proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry: calibration, humidity dependence, and field intercomparison, International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, doi:10.1016/S1387-3806(01)00366-9, 2001.