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Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Direct Analysis of Single Cells by Mass Spectrometry at Atmospheric Pressure
Published on: September 5, 2010
Atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry: a new analytical chemical characterization method for dissolved organic
Sybil P Seitzinger1, Renée M Styles, Ron Lauck
1Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers/NOAA CMER Program, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, 71 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901-8521, USA. sybil@imcs.rutgers.edu
Abstract:
The complex mixture of organic compounds in the atmosphere influences climate, air quality, and ecosystem processes. Atmospheric pressure electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (APESI-MS) was evaluated as a potential tool for direct measurement of the total suite of individual dissolved organic matter (DOM) compounds in rainwater. The APESI-MS response was linear to all DOM compounds of atmospheric significance examined as standard solutions. Urban precipitation samples from New Brunswick, NJ (USA) were analyzed by APESI-MS over the mass-to-charge (m/z) range 50-3,000. Over 95% of the m/z ions detected were in the low m/z range (50-500). Over 300 unique m/z ions were detected across the 11 rainwater samples indicating the complexity of the mixture of DOM in rainwater. Forty percent of the organic bases (positive mode detection) and 22% of the organic acids (negative mode) occurred in at least 6 of the 11 rainwater samples. Ions corresponding to the m/z of carboxylic acids standards (nonanedioic acid; 1,4-butanedicarboxylic acid; pentanedioic acid; hydroxybutanedioic acid; and butanedioic acid) and to reduced N standards (allylurea; caffeine; imidazole; and N-2-propenylurea) occurred in at least one of the 11 rainwater samples. Total dissolved organic carbon (DOC) estimated from the APESI-MS analysis and measured by standard DOC methods were not statistically different.
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