RADIOFREQUENCY GLOW-DISCHARGE MASS-SPECTROMETRY FOR GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHIC DETECTION - A NEW DEPARTURE FOR ELEMENTAL SPECIATION STUDIES

An rf glow discharge source operating at 30 W power and about 0.6 mbar pressure was utilized as a detector for tetraalkyltins separated by g as chromatography. These were the optimized power and pressure values, Detection levels of about 1 pg were comparable to some of the lowest reported literature values, even with a non-vented chromatographic exp eriment. NIST SRM 2715 Lead in Reference Fuel was used to test the ana lytical capabilities of the technique with good results. In an excitin g nov departure for elemental speciation studies, structural informati on can be obtained by scanning the mass spectrum at each chromatograph ic peak. Fragment information was also available from the SRM.