Chemical identification of microfossils from the 1.88‐Ga Gunflint chert: Towards empirical biosignatures using laser ablation ionization mass spectrometer

Design, Construction and Calibration of a Laser Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) developed in our laboratory at Isfahan University of Technology is described here. The TOF-MS instrument uses laser as the ionization source which provides an opportunity to investigate the ions formed in laser ablation or desorption. The TOF-MS has an ionization chamber containing an accelerator and an ion lens to focus the ions into a one meter line...

A field-deployable, chemical ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer

We constructed a new chemical ionization timeof-flight mass spectrometer (CI-TOFMS) that measures atmospheric trace gases in real time with high sensitivity. We apply the technique to the measurement of formic acid via negative-ion proton transfer, using acetate as the reagent ion. A novel high pressure interface, incorporating two RF-only quadrupoles is used to efficiently focus ions through f...

A Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer for Ambient Measurements of Ammonia

This study presents a chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS) for fast response, in-situ measurements of gas phase ammonia (NH3). The NH3 background level detected with the CIMS ranged between 0.3–1 ppbv, with an uncertainty of 30 pptv under optimized conditions. The instrument sensitivity varied from 4–25 Hz/pptv for >1 MHz of reagent ion signals (protonated ethanol ions), with a 30% unce...

Microfossils and the Depositional Environment of the Gunflint Iron Formation

design, construction and calibration of a laser ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer

a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (tof-ms) developed in our laboratory at isfahan university of technology is described here. the tof-ms instrument uses laser as the ionization source which provides an opportunity to investigate the ions formed in laser ablation or desorption. the tof-ms has an ionization chamber containing an accelerator and an ion lens to focus the ions into a one meter line...