Improving the selectivity of non-polar alkanes, alkenes, and aromatic hydrocarbon compounds by the application of acetonitrile as a CI reagent

The selective enhancement of membrane introduction mass spectrometry for non-polar alkanes, alkenes, and aromatic hydrocarbon compounds by the application of acetonitrile as a chemical ionization reagent was investigated. Acetonitrile CI is able to produce specific fragment ions for many of the compounds test and this can be used to identify and quantify the parent neutrals. This method provided relatively high detection limits of the test compounds. This method could potentially be useful for analytical applications Such as the detection of non-polar hydrocarbons for environmental studies if CH3 CN CI/MIMS is coupled with a preconcentration method.