Towards a universal ion source: Glow Flow mass spectrometry

A helium-microplasma ion source (Glow Flow) has been developed and characterised. It is engineered to be a simple design, of low-cost can readily retrofitted most modern mass spectrometers. Initial assessment its performance shown it robust, reproducible high sensitivity. Glow Flow provides broad non-specific detection samples from polar through non-polar chemistries making wide utility. study persistent organic pollutants, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, low average-molecular-mass polymers (polyethyleneimine, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol) complex mixture fatty-acid methyl esters by direct sample introduction using nebulised heated nitrogen flow was conducted. The ability make quantitative measurement investigated stearate linear calibration plot gave R2 = 0.999 limit-of-detection ∼100 fmol. This design extremely stable, in operation. Typical ions commonly observed are intense protonated molecule ions, radical molecular hydride abstracted oxygen adduct ions. At present this system valuable apply small analysis (m/z < 1000), easily interfaced gas liquid chromatography, likely useful for imaging.