2026-10-14T07:23:01Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/34003151 2026-09-26T14:18:10Z category_4 category_146 category_915 category_873 category_39 category_69 portal_63 item_type_2 month_year_09_2026

Miniature Mass Spectrometry for On-Site Analysis Using Self-Suction Sampling and α‑Particle Ionization Ruoying Xing (25114586) Wen Li (143214) Jianfeng Zhang (219107) Jiani Tan (1788765) Bin Hu (122268) Biochemistry Space Science Physical Sciences not elsewhere classified Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified Ecology Inorganic Chemistry particles stably generated investigating fundamental gas including radical cations experimental data demonstrated dissociative electron attachment direct analyte measurement deployable approach utilizing 3 kpa ). underlying ionization mechanism subsequent chemical ionization stable ionization platform portable minims systems phase ion chemistry miniature mass spectrometry external energy input particle ionization mass spectrometers minims system ion species ion source miniature ms world samples valuable tool unambiguously validated typically used system via system coupled suction sampling suction effect radioactive sources practical utility particle source particle impact n </ ml level low limits key component g ., energy consumption diverse real converting molecules complex cascade challenge due also offers 2 orders The ion source is a key component of mass spectrometers, where electricity, lasers, and heat are typically used for converting molecules into ions; however, this poses a challenge due to the high-energy consumption, especially for portable miniMS systems in field environments. In this study, we report a field-deployable approach utilizing a miniature mass spectrometry (MS) system coupled with α-particle ionization and self-suction sampling. Without any external energy input, high-energy α-particles stably generated from radioactive sources (e.g., Am-241 and Th-232) directly ionize various ambient aerosol samples, which are introduced into the system via a self-suction effect under a slight differential pressure (∼0.3 kPa). A range of ion species, including radical cations, anions, and protonated ions, were observed. The underlying ionization mechanism is proposed to involve a complex cascade of processes, namely, α-particle impact, dissociative electron attachment, and subsequent chemical ionization. The practical utility of this miniMS system was unambiguously validated through the on-site detection of diverse real-world samples. For direct analyte measurement, acceptable relative standard deviations (RSDs) of <20% (<i>n</i> = 6), good quantitative linearity over more than 2 orders of magnitude, and low limits of detection at the ng/mL level were achieved. Overall, our experimental data demonstrated that the α-particle source not only serves as a compact, high-energy, and stable ionization platform for miniature MS in field environments but also offers a valuable tool for investigating fundamental gas-phase ion chemistry. 2026-09-26T00:00:00Z Dataset Media 10.1021/acs.analchem.6c04777.s002 https://figshare.com/articles/media/Miniature_Mass_Spectrometry_for_On-Site_Analysis_Using_Self-Suction_Sampling_and_Particle_Ionization/34003151 CC BY-NC 4.0