Styrene radical cations for chemical ionization mass spectrometry analyses of monoterpene hydrocarbons.

RATIONALE: Monoterpene hydrocarbons play an important role in the formation of secondary aerosol particles and in atmospheric chemistry. Thus, there is a demand to measure their individual concentrations in situ in real time. Currently, only the total concentration of monoterpenes C10 H16 can be determined by chemical ionization mass spectrometry techniques using reagent ions H3 O+ , NO+ and (C6 H6 )n +• without gas chromatographic separation. METHODS: The styrene cation C8 H8 +• was investigated as a reagent for chemical ionization of monoterpenes. The modified selected ion flow drift tube, SIFDT, technique was used to characterize the differences in product ion distributions between α-phellandrene, α-pinene, γ-terpinene, ß-pinene, ocimene, sabinene, 3-carene, (R)-limonene, camphene and myrcene. RESULTS: The monoterpene molecular cation C10 H16 +• is the main product (about 90%) for all isomers except (R)-limonene and camphene with an efficient channel of C8 H8 +• C10 H16 adduct formation and γ-terpinene with unexpectedly significant product ions at m/z 134 and 135 corresponding to losses of H2 and H. CONCLUSIONS: Utilization of the styrene cation for the ionization of monoterpenes is beneficial due to the very low fragmentation of the product ions. Specific association product ions for camphene and (R)-limonene and fragment product ions for γ-terpinene allow them to be distinguished from other isomers that produce mostly the molecular cation.

Time-integrated thermal desorption for quantitative SIFT-MS analyses of atmospheric monoterpenes.

A new time-integrated thermal desorption technique has been developed that can be used with selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, TI-TD/SIFT-MS, for off-line quantitative analyses of VOCs accumulated onto sorbents. Using a slow desorption temperature ramp, the absolute amounts of desorbed compounds can be quantified in real time by SIFT-MS and constitutional isomers can be separated. To facilitate application of this technique to environmental atmospheric monitoring, method parameters were optimised for quantification of the three common atmospheric monoterpenes: ß-pinene, R-limonene and 3-carene. Three sorbent types, Tenax TA, Tenax GR and Porapak Q, were tested under 26 different desorption conditions determined by the "design of experiment", DOE, systematic approach. The optimal combination of type of sorbent, bed length, sampling flow rate, sample volume and the initial desorption temperature was determined from the experimental results by ANOVA. It was found that Porapak Q exhibited better efficiency of sample collection and further extraction for total monoterpene concentration measurements. On the other hand, Tenax GR or TA enabled separation of all three monoterpenes. The results of this laboratory study were tested with the sample accumulated from a branch of a Pinus nigra tree. Graphical abstract.

Increase of the Charge Transfer Rate Coefficients for NO+ and O2+• Reactions with Isoprene Molecules at Elevated Interaction Energies.

Atmospheric concentrations of isoprene (2-methylbutadiene) in environmental research and in exhaled breath for medical research are usually measured by soft chemical ionization mass spectrometry that relies on a knowledge of the kinetics of the gas phase reactions of H3O+, NO+ or O2+• ions with isoprene molecules. Thus, we have carried out an experimental study of the rate coefficients, k, and product ions distributions for such reactions over a range of ion-molecule interaction energy, Er, (0.05-0.8 eV) in a helium-buffered selected ion flow-drift tube, SIFDT. It is found that contrary to the ion-induced dipole capture model, k for the NO+ and O2+• charge transfer reactions almost doubled over the E r range, while k for the H3O+ proton transfer reaction did not significantly change with E r, as predicted. These results reveal that the reaction mechanism involving ion-molecule capture forming an intermediate complex does not properly describe charge transfer to isoprene molecules. It is important to account for this increase in k with E r in these isoprene charge transfer reactions, and probably for other such reactions, when using drift tube reactors for trace gas analysis.

Evaluation of lipid peroxidation by the analysis of volatile aldehydes in the headspace of synthetic membranes using Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry, SIFT-MS.

RATIONALE: Oxidative stress of cell membranes leads to a number of pathological processes associated with some diseases and is accompanied by the release of volatile aldehydes, which, potentially, can be used as biomarkers. Thus, the aim was to investigate peroxidation of defined synthetic membranes by direct quantitative analysis of volatile aldehydes. METHODS: The concentration spectra of volatile compounds present in the headspace of synthetic membranes under peroxidation stress and following mechanical stress due to sonication were obtained using solid phase microextraction (SPME) in combination with Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (SPME/GC/MS) and Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS). The focus was on the direct, real time quantification of volatile aldehydes. In addition, the total aldehydes in the aqueous membrane suspensions were quantified using the TBARS method. RESULTS: Propanal, butanal, pentanal, hexanal, heptanal and malondialdehyde were detected and quantified in the humid headspace of the media containing the synthetic membranes following peroxidation. The composition and concentration of these saturated aldehydes strongly depend on the unsaturated fatty acids representation in the liposomes. Some protective effect of cholesterol was observed especially for membranes peroxidised by Fenton reagents and after application of a mechanical stress. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that peroxidation of model synthetic membranes in vitro can be tracked in real time using direct quantification by SIFT-MS of several specific aldehydes in the headspace of the membrane suspensions. Cholesterol plays an important role in retaining membrane structure and can indirectly protect membranes from lipid peroxidation.

Do linear logistic model analyses of volatile biomarkers in exhaled breath of cystic fibrosis patients reliably indicate Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection?

Non-invasive breath analysis has been used to search for volatile biomarkers of lungs and airways infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, PA, in cystic fibrosis patients. The exhaled breath of 20 PA-infected patients and 38 PA-negative patients was analysed using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS. Special attention was given to the positive identification and accurate quantification of 16 volatile compounds (VOCs) as assured by the detailed consideration of their analytical ion chemistry occurring in the SIFT-MS reactor. However, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the concentrations of any of the 16 compounds taken individually were found to be low. But when a linear combination of the concentrations of all 16 VOCs was used to construct an optimised receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve using a linear logistic model, the diagnostic separation of PA-infected patients relative to the PA-negative patients was apparently good in terms of the derived sensitivity (89%), specificity (86%), and the area under the ROC curve is 0.91. Four compounds were revealed by the linear logistic model as significant, viz. malondialdehyde, isoprene, phenol and acetoin. The implications of these results to PA detection in the airways are assessed. Whilst such a metabolomics approach to optimise the ROC curve is widely used in breath analysis, it can lead to misleading indications. Therefore, we conclude that the results of the linear logistic model analyses are of limited immediate clinical value. The identified compounds should rather be considered as a stimulus for further independent studies involving larger patient cohorts.

Differentiation of pulmonary bacterial pathogens in cystic fibrosis by volatile metabolites emitted by their in vitro cultures: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and the Burkholderia cepacia complex.

As a contribution to the continuing search for breath biomarkers of lung and airways infection in patients with cystic fibrosis, CF, we have analysed the volatile metabolites released in vitro by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other bacteria involved in respiratory infections in these patients, i.e. those belonging to the Burkholderia cepacia complex, Staphylococcus aureus or Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. These opportunistic pathogens are generally harmless to healthy people but they may cause serious infections in patients with severe underlying disease or impaired immunity such as CF patients. Volatile organic compounds emitted from the cultures of strains belonging to the above-mentioned four taxa were analysed by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry. In order to minimize the effect of differences in media composition all strains were cultured in three different liquid media. Multivariate statistical analysis reveals that the four taxa can be well discriminated by the differences in the headspace VOC concentration profiles. The compounds that should be targeted in breath as potential biomarkers of airway infection were identified for each of these taxa of CF pathogens.

In-tube collision-induced dissociation for selected ion flow-drift tube mass spectrometry, SIFDT-MS: a case study of NO(+) reactions with isomeric monoterpenes.

RATIONALE: Soft chemical ionisation techniques including selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS, and proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry, PTR-MS, cannot currently quantify individual isomers present simultaneously in samples, a notable example being atmospheric monoterpenes. A possible solution lies in integrating in-tube collision-induced dissociation, CID, into a selected ion flow-drift tube mass spectrometry, SIFDT-MS, instrument. METHODS: In-tube CID was implemented by applying electrostatic potential difference between the resistive glass flow-drift tube downstream end and the nose cone of a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The resulting inhomogeneous electric field accelerates the product ions along the last 1 mm before the nose cone and causes their dissociation in collisions with molecules of the buffer gas (4% air, 96% helium, 2 mbar). Mass spectra of the product ions of NO(+) reactions with 3-carene, ß-pinene, (S)-limonene and their mixture were obtained for variable potential difference. RESULTS: Potential difference up to 47.7 V resulted in dramatic changes in the mass spectra due to fragmentation of the monoterpene radical molecular cations. The main observed fragments correspond to logical losses from different isomeric structures. Fragmentation increases with the potential difference and can be interpreted as single collision dissociation on air molecules at centre-of-mass energies of several eV. Combination of fragmentation patterns at different CID enables distinction of isomers in the mixture on the basis of pseudoinversion. CONCLUSIONS: In-tube CID represents a simple and low-cost extension to SIFDT-MS that allows real-time identification of isomeric products of ion-molecule reactions on the basis of their structural differences and corresponding changes in fragmentation patterns with CID energy without significantly changing the net reaction time important for absolute quantification. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Breath concentration of acetic acid vapour is elevated in patients with cystic fibrosis.

A study has been carried out of the volatile organic compounds present in the exhaled breath of 58 cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. An important observation is that the acetic acid vapour concentration measured by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) is significantly elevated in the exhaled breath of CF patients, independent of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infection status (PA-infected median 170 ppbv; PA-negative median 182 ppbv), compared to that of healthy controls (median 48 ppbv). The cause for this may be decreased pH of the mucus lining the CF airways. Thus, we speculate that non-invasive measurement of breath acetic acid concentration could serve as an indicator of the acidity of the CF airways mucosa.

Quantitative analysis of volatile metabolites released in vitro by bacteria of the genus Stenotrophomonas for identification of breath biomarkers of respiratory infection in cystic fibrosis.

The aim of the present study was to characterize the volatile metabolites produced by genotypically diverse strains of the Stenotrophomonas genus in order to evaluate their potential as biomarkers of lung infection by non-invasive breath analysis. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from 15 clinical and five environmental strains belonging to different genogroups of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (n = 18) and Stenotrophomonas rhizophila (n = 2) cultured in Mueller-Hinton Broth (MHB) liquid media were analysed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). Several VOCs were detected in high concentration, including ammonia, propanol, dimethyl disulphide propanol and dimethyl disulphide. The GC-MS measurements showed that all 15 clinical strains produced similar headspace VOCs compositions, and SIFT-MS quantification showed that the rates of production of the VOCs by the genotypically distinct strains were very similar. All in vitro cultures of both the Stenotrophomonas species were characterised by efficient production of two isomers of methyl butanol, which can be described by known biochemical pathways and which is absent in other pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These in-vitro data indicate that methyl butanol isomers may be exhaled breath biomarkers of S. maltophilia lung infection in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Exhaled breath concentrations of acetic acid vapour in gastro-esophageal reflux disease.

The objective of this experimental study was to discover volatile metabolites present in exhaled breath that could be used as biomarkers of gastro-esophageal reflux disease, GERD, one of the most common causes of chronic cough. An in vitro model based on pork tissue samples exposed to a challenge by artificial gastric fluid was used to identify specific volatile compounds to be chosen for quantification in directly exhaled breath of GERD patients and controls using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS. GC/MS analyses of the headspace of this in vitro model indicated that the only volatile compound significantly increased was acetic acid. End expiratory concentration of acetic acid measured by SIFT-MS in mouth exhaled breath of 22 GERD patients (median 85 ppbv) was found to be significantly higher than that in breath of a control group (median 48 ppbv). Breath acetic acid may be useful for non-invasive diagnostics of GERD and other conditions resulting in the lowering of pH of the lining of the airways.

Quantification of pentane in exhaled breath, a potential biomarker of bowel disease, using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE: Inflammatory bowel disease has a relatively large incidence in modern populations and the current diagnostic methods are either invasive or have limited sensitivity or specificity. Thus, there is a need for new non-invasive methods for its diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring, and breath analysis represents a promising direction in this area of research. Specifically, a method is needed for the absolute quantification of pentane in human breath. METHODS: Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) has been used to study the kinetics of the O2(+) reaction with pentane. Product ions at m/z 42 and 72 were chosen as characteristic ions useful for the quantification of pentane and the reactivity of these ions with water vapour was characterized. A pilot study has been carried out of pentane in the exhaled breath of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) and of healthy volunteers. RESULTS: Accurate data on the kinetics of the gas phase reaction of the O2(+•) ions with pentane have been obtained: rate coefficient 8 × 10(-10) cm(3) s(-1) (±5%) and branching ratios into the following product ions C5H12(+•) (m/z 72, 31%); C4H9(+) (m/z 57, 8%); C3H7(+) (m/z 43, 40%), C3H6(+•) (m/z 42, 21%). A method of calculation of absolute pentane concentration in exhaled breath was formulated using the count rates of the ions at m/z 32, 42, 55 and 72. Pentane was found to be significantly elevated in the breath of both the CD (mean 114 ppbv) and the UC patients (mean 84 ppbv) relative to the healthy controls (mean 40 ppbv). CONCLUSIONS: SIFT-MS can be used to quantify pentane in human breath in real time avoiding sample storage. This method of analysis can ultimately form the basis of non-invasive screening of inflammatory processes, including inflammatory bowel disease.

Real time monitoring of population dynamics in concurrent bacterial growth using SIFT-MS quantification of volatile metabolites.

Population dynamics of three different bacterial species, Serratia rubidaea (R), Serratia marcescens (F) and Escherichia coli (Ec), growing in single or mixed populations in liquid media, was monitored by real time headspace quantification of volatile compounds using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS. The three bacterial species interact with each other in a competitive fashion in a way similar to the game "rock-paper-scissors" (R-Ec-F). The concentrations of volatile metabolites (ammonia, ethanol, acetaldehyde, propanol, acetoin, acetone and acetic acid) were measured in the headspace of the individual species and of their mixtures continuously for 24 hour periods. The results demonstrate that dynamics in bacterial cultures can be monitored using SIFT-MS in real time.

Real-time quantification of traces of biogenic volatile selenium compounds in humid air by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry.

Biological volatilization of selenium, Se, in a contaminated area is an economical and environmentally friendly approach to phytoremediation techniques, but analytical methods for monitoring and studying volatile compounds released in the process of phytovolatilization are currently limited in their performance. Thus, a new method for real time quantification of trace amounts of the vapors of hydrogen selenide (H(2)Se), methylselenol (CH(3)SeH), dimethylselenide ((CH(3))(2)Se), and dimethyldiselenide ((CH(3))(2)Se(2)) present in ambient air adjacent to living plants has been developed. This involves the characterization of the mechanism and kinetics of the reaction of H(3)O(+), NO(+), and O(2)(+•) reagent ions with molecules of these compounds and then use of the rate constants so obtained to determine their absolute concentrations in air by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS. The results of experiments demonstrating this method on emissions from maize (Zea mays) seedlings cultivated in Se rich medium are also presented.

Quantification of methyl thiocyanate in the headspace of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cultures and in the breath of cystic fibrosis patients by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry.

Infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Breath analysis could potentially be a useful diagnostic of such infection, and analyses of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from PA cultures are an important part of the search for volatile breath markers of PA lung infection. Our pilot experiments using solid-phase microextraction, SPME and gas chromatography/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) analyses of volatile compounds produced by PA strains indicated a clear presence of methyl thiocyanate. This provided a motivation to develop a method for real-time online quantification of this compound by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS. The kinetics of reactions of H(3)O(+), NO(+) and O(2)(+•) with methyl thiocyanate at 300 K were characterized and the characteristic product ions determined (proton transfer for H(3)O(+), rate constant 4.6 × 10(-9) cm(3) s(-1); association for NO(+), 1.7 × 10(-9) cm(3) s(-1) and nondissociative charge transfer for O(2)(+•) 4.3 × 10(-9) cm(3) s(-1)). The kinetics library was extended by a new entry for methyl thiocyanate accounting for overlaps with isotopologues of hydrated hydronium ions. Solubility of methyl thiocyanate in water (Henry's law constant) was determined using standard reference solutions and the linearity and limits of detection of both SIFT-MS and SPME-GC/MS methods were characterized. Thirty-six strains of PA with distinct genotype were cultivated under identical conditions and 28 of them (all also producing HCN) were found to release methyl thiocyanate in headspace concentrations greater than 6 parts per billion by volume (ppbv). SIFT-MS was also used to analyze the breath of 28 children with CF and the concentrations of methyl thiocyanate were found to be in the range 2-21 ppbv (median 7 ppbv).

Laser ablation of FOX-7: proposed mechanism of decomposition.

A novel high-energy explosive material, FOX-7 (1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene), was studied using a combination of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). The LIBS technique uses short laser pulses (an ArF excimer laser) as the energy source to convert small quantities of a sample into plasma and to induce the emission of its molecular fragments or atoms. SIFT-MS is a novel method for absolute quantification based on chemical ionization using three reagent ions, with the ability to determine concentrations of trace gases and vapors of volatile organic compounds in real time. SIFT-MS was used to study the release of NO, NO(2), HCN, HONO, HCHO, CH(3)CH(2)OH, and C(2)H(2) after laser ablation of the explosive compound FOX-7 in solid crystalline form. The radiation emitted after excitation was analyzed using a time-resolved UV-vis spectrometer with an ICCD detector. The electronic bands of CN (388 nm), OH (308.4 nm), and NO (237.1 nm) radicals and the atomic lines of C, N, and H were identified.

A study of the composition of the products of laser-induced breakdown of hexogen, octogen, pentrite and trinitrotoluene using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry and UV-Vis spectrometry.

Four types of explosives were studied using a combination of Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS). The LIBS technique uses short laser pulses (ArF excimer laser) as the energy source to convert small amounts samples into plasma and to produce the emission from their molecular fragments or atoms. SIFT-MS is a novel method for absolute quantification based on chemical ionization using three precursor ions, with the capability to determine concentrations of trace gases and vapours of volatile organic compounds in real time. This is the first time that SIFT-MS has been used to study the release of NO, NO(2), HCN, HNO(3), HONO, HCHO and C(2)H(2) after a laser-induced breakdown of pure explosive compounds HMX (1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclo-octane), RDX (1,3,5-trinitro-2-oxo-1,3,5-triazacyclo-hexane), PETN (pentaerithrityl-tetranitrate) and TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene) in solid form. The radiation emitted after excitation was analysed using a time resolving UV-Vis spectrometer with a ICCD detector. Electronic bands of the CN radical (388 nm), the Swan system of the C(2) radical (512 nm), the NH radical (336 nm), the OH radical (308.4 nm) and atomic lines of oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen were identified. Vibrational and excitation temperatures were determined from the intensity distributions and a scheme of chemical reactions responsible for the formation of the observed species was proposed.