Ion mobility spectrometry after chromatography - Accomplishments, goals, challenges

Abstract

Ion mobility spectrometry was first introduced to the analytical community in 1970 as an ultratrace organic technique under the name of plasma chromatography. Using highly sensitive ionization methods commonly employed in electron capture detectors coupled with an atmospheric pressure drift region to separate ions produced, it had the potential for widespread application in the separation and detection of trace quantities of organics. The ProblemsAs researchers began to investigate the method, a number of serious problems rapidly became evident: Competitive ion-molecule reactions which occurred in the ionization region of the detector limited its use as a quantitative instrument when complex mixtures were introduced into the spectrometer. Long residence times (sometimes measured in hours) in the spectrometer prevented practical application to a large number of samples.Often spectra for a single component were found to contain multiple ion peaks, hopelessly complicating true multicomponent interpretation. Recent AccomplishmentsWe designed and constructed an ion mobility spectrometer that was specifically suited for the detection of trace organics after separation by high resolution gas chromatography [1]. Using a unique unidirectional flow design, problems associated with long residence times in the spectrometer were eliminated. The high resolution gas chromatograph insured the purity of standards and enabled the in-425

Identity Efficiency for High-Performance Ambient Pressure Ion Mobility Spectrometry

“…To test our hypothesis, a commercially available electrospray ionization high-performance ion mobility spectrometry (ESI-HPIMS) was used. In a series of publications and presentations from 1987 to 1992, Hill applied electrospray ionization as a sample introduction technique for introducing nonvolatile compounds into an ion mobility spectrometer. − The types of ESI and their advantages were discussed elsewhere . Today ESI is one of the most important and powerful analytical technique because of its ability to analyze nonvolatile compounds.…”

Identification of wood species by ion mobility spectrometry

“…The occurrence of overlapping peaks in IMS is often a limitation in the detection capability of this technique (21). A number of attempts have been made to overcome such resolution problems including tandem ion mobility spectrometry (29), selective ionization techniques (21,30), and the use of some preseparation methods (e.g., GC, HPLC (31)) prior to IMS sample introduction. The application of postdetection computational techniques to assess the "purity" of IMS signals has been recently reported (24,32,33).…”

Ion mobility spectrometry: A personal view of its development at UCSB

“…Other important events are noted and the people or companies responsible for them highlighted. Herb Hill especially deserves mention as the prime mover of the early analytical development of the technique [23] and contributes an article elsewhere in this special issue. Martin Jarrold and coworkers [24] developed the first high resolution version of drift cell IMS which inspired our high resolution instruments (more later).…”