Recent developments and applications of selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS)

0569152 - ÚFCH JH 2025 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Smith, David - Španěl, Patrik - Demarais, N. - Langford, V. S. - McEwan, M. J.
Recent developments and applications of selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS).
Mass Spectrometry Reviews. (2023), č. článku e21835. ISSN 0277-7037. E-ISSN 1098-2787
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA21-25486S
Institutional support: RVO:61388955
Keywords : cation and anion gas phase chemistry * nitrogen carrier gas * selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry * sift-ms * VOCs * volatile organic compounds
OECD category: Physical chemistry
Impact factor: 6.7, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Open access

Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) is now recognized as the most versatile analytical technique for the identification and quantification of trace gases down to the parts-per-trillion by volume, pptv, range. This statement is supported by the wide reach of its applications, from real-time analysis, obviating sample collection of very humid exhaled breath, to its adoption in industrial scenarios for air quality monitoring. This review touches on the recent extensions to the underpinning ion chemistry kinetics library and the alternative challenge of using nitrogen carrier gas instead of helium. The addition of reagent anions in the Voice200 series of SIFT-MS instruments has enhanced the analytical capability, thus allowing analyses of volatile trace compounds in humid air that cannot be analyzed using reagent cations alone, as clarified by outlining the anion chemistry involved. Case studies are reviewed of breath analysis and bacterial culture volatile organic compound (VOC), emissions, environmental applications such as air, water, and soil analysis, workplace safety such as transport container fumigants, airborne contamination in semiconductor fabrication, food flavor and spoilage, drugs contamination and VOC emissions from packaging to demonstrate the stated qualities and uniqueness of the new generation SIFT-MS instrumentation. Finally, some advancements that can be made to improve the analytical capability and reach of SIFT-MS are mentioned.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0340488