Abstract. Oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) are formed during the oxidation
of gas-phase hydrocarbons in the atmosphere. However, analytical challenges
have hampered ambient measurements for many of these species, leaving
unanswered questions regarding their atmospheric fate. We present the
development of an in situ gas chromatography (GC) technique that, when
combined with the sensitive and specific detection of chemical ionization
mass spectrometry (CIMS), is capable of the isomer-resolved detection of a
wide range of OVOCs. The instrument addresses many of the issues typically
associated with chromatographic separation of such compounds (e.g., analyte
degradation). The performance of the instrumentation is assessed through data
obtained in the laboratory and during two field studies. We show that this
instrument is able to successfully measure otherwise difficult-to-quantify
compounds (e.g., organic hydroperoxides and organic nitrates) and observe the
diurnal variations in a number of their isomers.
Supplementary material to "Low-pressure gas chromatography with chemical ionization mass spectrometry for quantification of multifunctional organic compounds in the atmosphere"
