All-in-one: validation and versatile applications of a novel chemical ionization mass spectrometer for simultaneous measurements of volatile organic and inorganic compounds

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and volatile inorganic compounds (VICs) are crucial players in atmospheric chemistry, and their coexistence in industrial environments, particularly semiconductor manufacturing, presents significant obstacles to production yields. The simultaneous and high-time-resolution measurements of both VOCs and VICs from a single platform have long been an analytical Achilles’ heel, often requiring compromises in sensitivity or selectivity for certain compound classes. This study introduces and comprehensively evaluates a novel Vocus B Chemical Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (CI-TOF-MS), an improved “all-in-one” solution that overcomes this challenge by rapidly switching between reagent ions and polarities. Laboratory-based calibrations for a suite of VOCs and VICs, including ammonia (NH3) and various amines, demonstrated excellent linearity (R2 > 0.99) and high sensitivity. An inter-comparison experiment for NH3 with an established cavity ring-down spectroscopy analyzer (Picarro G2103) showed strong overall agreement in tracking major pollution events and diurnal trends. We demonstrate the instrument’s versatility through three distinct applications: (1) stationary in-situ monitoring in urban Nanjing, which captured complex pollution dynamics and identified a previously overlooked industrial solvent hotspot; (2) mobile laboratory deployment along the Nanjing-Hefei corridor, which successfully mapped pollution gradients and attributed sources in real-time; and (3) real-time monitoring of Airborne Molecular Contaminants from a Front Opening Unified Pod, simulating its utility for yield improvement in semiconductor fabrication. This work establishes the Vocus B as a versatile tool, offering a unified and efficient approach to elucidate the complex chemical interactions in both atmospheric science and industrial process control.