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Thermal Desorption Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry for Volatile Organic Compounds

Tunable dials on top of the Thermal Desorption–Gas Chromatography–Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry for Volatile Organic Compounds
Calibration screen on top of the Thermal Desorption–Gas Chromatography–Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry for Volatile Organic Compounds
Nine drawers within the Thermal Desorption–Gas Chromatography–Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry for Volatile Organic Compounds
Gray front cover and black circular component of the Thermal Desorption–Gas Chromatography–Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry for Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) are carbon-based chemicals that readily evaporate into the atmosphere, significantly impacting air quality. These compounds contribute to the formation of harmful pollutants, including ozone and particulate matter, which degrade air quality and affect atmospheric chemistry. Understanding the behavior and sources of VOCs and SVOCs are crucial to addressing impacts on ecosystems. 

The Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) offers a gas chromatography system coupled to a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (GC-MS) that provides fast, high-throughput, sensitive identification and specific quantitation of VOCs and SVOCs. 

Samples are introduced via a thermal desorption (TD) autosampler unit and are collected by pulling air through inexpensive sampling tubes, where VOCs and SVOCs are retained and concentrated on the tube’s interior coating. Then, the TD autosampler unit desorbs the trapped compounds from the sample tubes for injection into the GC-MS system. 

This system is available through the EMSL User Program’s open proposal calls. 

Research application 

Tips for success 

  • Users may consider collecting test samples to make sure that a sufficient amount of the desired compound is captured for analysis. 

  • The TD autosampler unit can analyze up to 99 samples per batch. Users may consider expanding their sample sets because of the ease of analysis and simple sampling strategy. 

  • Tenax sorbent tubes are ideal for atmospheric (biogenic and anthropogenic) VOC sample collection. 

Contacts