Rationale

Ambient ionization mass spectrometry methods are convenient, sensitive and require little sample preparation. However, they are susceptible to species present in air surrounding the mass spectrometer. This study identifies some challenges associated with the potential impacts of indoor air contaminants on ionization and analysis involving open-air methods.

Methods

Unexpected effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from floor maintenance activities on ambient ionization mass spectrometry were studied using three different ambient ionization techniques. Extractive electrospray ionization (EESI), direct analysis in real time (DART) and ionization by piezoelectric direct discharge (PDD) plasma were demonstrated in this study to be affected by indoor air contaminants. Identification of contaminant vapors was verified by comparison with standards using EESI-MS/MS product ion scans.

Results

Emissions of diethylene glycol monoethyl ether and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether are identified from floor stripping and waxing solutions using three ambient ionization mass spectrometry techniques. These unexpected indoor air contaminants are capable of more than 75% ion suppression of target analytes due to their high volatility, proton affinity and solubility compared with the target analytes. The contaminant vapors are also shown to form adducts with one of the target analytes.

Conclusions

The common practice in MS analysis of subtracting a background air spectrum may not be appropriate if the presence of ionizable air contaminants alters the spectrum in unexpected ways. For example, VOCs released into air from floor stripping and waxing are capable of causing ion suppression of target analytes.