ARS | Publication request: Portable Time of Flight-mass Spec and Animal Feeding Operations

Submitted to: Proceedings of Pittcon Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 15, 2008
Publication Date: March 8, 2009
Citation: Scoggin, K.D., Trabue, S.L., Mcconnell, L.L. 2009. Portable Time of Flight-mass Spec and Animal Feeding Operations [abstract]. In: Proceedings of Pittcon Meeting. Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, March 8-13, 2009, Chicago, IL. Paper No. 2180-8.

Technical Abstract: Agriculture air quality studies monitoring emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from animal production facilities present unique challenges due to the air matrix and concentration levels of target compounds. Recent developments in the cost and capacity of field portable mass spectrometers (MS) open the potential use of these instruments for use in field monitoring programs. In this study, a field portable MS was evaluated for use in monitoring of VOCs from several different animal facilities. The instrument sampled air through a silicone membrane, ionized compounds by electron impact, and identified products of the ionization by a time-of-flight (TOF) MS. The instruments quantitation limits were determined from laboratory standards generated from both cylinders and permeation ovens. Field comparisons of VOCs measured using the portable MS to both the TO-17 and TO-15 techniques are presented for monitoring studies at both a cattle feedlot and swine facility.