Multimodal Vacuum-Assisted Plasma Ion (VaPI) Source with Transmission Mode and Laser Ablation Sampling Capabilities

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Mass Spectrometry
• Plasma Physics

Background:

• Efficient and reproducible sampling at the mass spectrometer atmospheric pressure interface is crucial for diverse analytical applications.
• Current ion source designs may lack the flexibility to adapt to various sampling modes and analytical requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel multimodal ion source for enhanced mass spectrometry analysis.
• To demonstrate the versatility of the ion source across different sampling techniques and applications.

Main Methods:

• Development of a vacuum-assisted plasma ionization (VaPI) source with interchangeable transmission and laser ablation sampling geometries.
• Optimization of operational parameters such as helium flow rate and gas temperature.
• Analysis of volatile standards, drug tablets, and monitoring of prebiotic synthetic reactions.

Main Results:

• The VaPI source demonstrated efficient and reproducible sampling in both AC and DC power regimes.
• Interchangeable geometries allowed for adaptation to different analytical tasks, including the study of matrix effects.
• Successful application in monitoring prebiotic reaction products.

Conclusions:

• The developed multimodal VaPI source offers a flexible and efficient solution for atmospheric pressure interface mass spectrometry.
• Its adaptability to various sampling modes and applications makes it a valuable tool for analytical chemists.