Abstract

In the past, chemical analysis of airborne particulates was done in the bulk. In other words, particles were collected on a filter and later extracted and subjected to chemical analysis. This provides only a very time consuming statistical constituent analysis of the ensemble of particles that is generally incomplete. All information about composition and chemistry of the individual particles was lost. Recently, mass spectrometric techniques have been applied to individual particles in real-time. Analysis of individual particles via time-of-flight has had great success with the lighter inorganic constituents, but is unenlightening when used on organic based particles. Application of ion trap MS/MS techniques to organically derived particulates permits positive identification of any of the constituents.

© 1996 Optical Society of America