REAL-TIME DETECTION OF INDIVIDUAL AIRBORNE BACTERIA

Airborne bacteria and bacterial spores were directly sampled by an ion trap mass spectrometer with an atmospheric pressure inlet system. Sam ples were aerosolized from suspensions of single species. The organism s were individually characterized in real time by laser ablation mass spectrometry. Either positive or negative ions could be studied. Ions of a particular value of mit (mass to charge ratio) could be further c haracterized by tandem mass spectrometry in the ion trap. (C) 1997 Els evier Science BN.