A new analytical technique for detection of organic compounds using inductively coupled plasma-tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) is described. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were introduced into the collision/reaction cell (CRC), instead of through the ICP ion source, and the molecules were ionised through an ion reaction, induced by collision with the primary ions (Ar⁺) produced in the ICP. The ionisation characteristics of this new approach were investigated by mass spectrometric analysis of eight VOCs (i.e., benzene, toluene, ethyl acetate, methyl butyrate, ethyl butyrate, pentyl acetate, pyridine, and 2-methylfuran). These molecules were detected as molecular ions (M⁺), protonated ions ([M + H]⁺), or deprotonated ions ([M − H]⁺), demonstrating that soft ionisation was achieved by the present ionisation protocol using ICP-MS/MS. In addition, a volatile selenium-containing organic compound, dimethyl diselenide (Se₂(CH₃)₂), was also analysed to investigate the feasibility of this ionisation protocol to achieve soft and hard ionisation simultaneously. Several Se-related ions such as Se⁺, SeH⁺, Se₂⁺, [SeCH₃]⁺, and [Se₂CH₃]⁺, together with [Se₂(CH₃)₂]⁺, were observed, suggesting that while soft ionisation was possible, ion reaction-induced-fragmentation and hard ionisation also occurred. To demonstrate the analytical capability of the present technique, volatile components released from coffee beans were subjected to the present mass spectrometric analysis. Many ion peaks originating from VOCs were detected from the coffee beans. The data obtained here demonstrated that ICP-MS equipped with a CRC can become an effective tool for analyzing both elements and molecules.

中文翻译：

---

使用电感耦合等离子体串联质谱 （ICP-MS/MS） 通过 Ar+ 诱导的化学电离检测多种挥发性有机化合物


介绍了一种使用电感耦合等离子体串联质谱 （ICP-MS/MS） 检测有机化合物的新分析技术。挥发性有机化合物 （VOC） 被引入碰撞/反应池 （CRC），而不是通过 ICP 离子源，分子通过与 ICP 中产生的伯离子 （Ar⁺） 碰撞诱导的离子反应被电离。通过对八种 VOC （即苯、甲苯、乙酸乙酯、丁酸甲酯、丁酸乙酯、乙酸戊酯、吡啶和 2-甲基呋喃）进行质谱分析，研究了这种新方法的电离特性。这些分子被检测为分子离子 （M⁺）、质子化离子 （[M + H]⁺） 或去质子化离子 （[M − H]⁺），表明目前的电离方案使用 ICP-MS/MS 实现了软电离。此外，还分析了一种挥发性含硒有机化合物二甲基二硒化物 （Se₂（CH₃）₂），以研究这种电离方案同时实现软电离和硬电离的可行性。几种 Se 相关离子，如 Se⁺、SeH⁺、Se₂⁺、[SeCH₃]⁺ 和 [Se₂CH₃]⁺，以及 [Se₂（CH₃）₂]⁺，这表明虽然软电离是可能的，但离子反应诱导的碎裂和硬电离也发生了。 为了证明该技术的分析能力，对咖啡豆中释放的挥发性成分进行了本质谱分析。从咖啡豆中检测到许多源自 VOC 的离子峰。此处获得的数据表明，配备 CRC 的 ICP-MS 可以成为分析元素和分子的有效工具。