Direct rapid analysis of hazardous analytes in aerosol products using gas-flow-assisted electrostatic field-induced...

Safe, rapid, and sensitive analysis of hazardous chemical compounds in aerosol products significantly benefits both inspector and operator health and detection throughput. This study presents a novel approach for the direct mass spectrometry analysis of regulated chemical compounds in aerosol products, utilizing gas-flow-assisted transfer/nebulization and electrostatic field-induced spray ionization via a custom-made double-tee assembly. Without any pretreatment or solvent, samples are introduced into the assembly, which transfers the sample and generates microdroplets using high-pressure sheath gas. Target analyte ions are mixed with formic acid or derivatization reagent microdroplets in the cavity and then directed into an ion trap mass spectrometer through an electrostatic field for quantitative analysis. Key parameters of the double-tee assembly were systematically optimized using response surface methodology, achieving excellent analytical performance. Sample consumption was 20 μL, and the whole analytical procedure was completed within 1 min. The limits of detection and quantitation for target compounds were in the range of 10-25 μg/kg and 25-50 μg/kg, respectively. The proposed method exhibited good recoveries between 94.3 % and 101.3 %, with relative standard deviations from 2.4 % to 8.2 %. Moreover, this method has the potential to monitor chemical reaction intermediates and distinguish sample authenticity through multivariate statistical analysis. Overall, it is user-friendly for aerosol product analysis and prioritizes operator safety and health.