Characterization of organic monolayers on individual microparticles using microprobe mass spectrometry

Polycyclic organic matter (POM) represents a class of compounds of environmental significance. Many of these compounds have been shown to exhibit mutagenic characteristics. POM is formed during the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal. Emitted particulate matter such as coal flyash contains surface associated POM that undergoes chemical transformations due to photolysis and exposure to gaseous pollutants. Past studies of these compounds on flyash have relied on wet chemical techniques in which POM is extracted from large quantities of flyash and then analyzed by chromatography. This technique is hindered by several problems such as the extensive heterogeneity in flyash composition. Individual flyash particles of different composition will influence POM adsorption and reactivity. Studies of the different types of particles by the wet techniques require that the particles be physically separated (density, size, magnetic properties). Microprobe secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is a technique that can potentially overcome these obstacles by permitting the in situ analysis of POM on single particle surfaces.