Claims
- 1. A method of analyzing a trace gas, comprising:
- (1) introducing a reagent gas and said trace gas into a first region, said reagent gas being of the kind having a vapour pressure substantially less than atmospheric at a predetermined temperature and ions of said reagent gas being reactive with molecules of said trace gas to form trace gas ions,
- (2) forming ions from said reagent gas in said first region and thereby forming ions of said trace gas,
- (3) transporting said trace ions, with at least some of said reagent gas, into a vacuum chamber,
- (4) cooling a surface in said vacuum chamber to below said predetermined temperature, so that said reagent gas will condense on said wall,
- (5) guiding said ions of said trace gas along a selected path in said vacuum chamber, said path being spaced from said surface, and
- (6) analyzing said ions of said trace gas.
- 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step (1) includes the step of transporting said trace molecules into said first region in a carrier gas, said carrier gas being of the kind having a vapour pressure substantially less than atmospheric at said predetermined temperature, said reagent gas being a part of said carrier gas.
- 3. A method according to claim 1 including the step of dissolving in a solvent the trace material to be analyzed, then vapourizing said solvent to form a mixture of solvent and trace gases, and wherein the step (1) includes the step of introducing said mixture into said first region, the solvent gas being of the kind having a vapour pressure substantially less than atmospheric at said predetermined temperature, the step (3) including the step of transporting at least some of said solvent gas into said chamber.
- 4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said solvent is of a kind the ions of which are reactive with molecules of said trace gas to form trace gas ions, said solvent gas thereby constituting at least a part of said reagent gas.
- 5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said reagent gas is selected from the group consisting of water vapour, isobutane, benzene, methylene chloride, hexane and isooctane.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of our pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 555,202 filed Mar. 3, 1975 entitled "Apparatus for Analyzing Trace Components", now U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,398.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3786249 |
Anbar et al. |
Jan 1974 |
|
3920987 |
Anbar et al. |
Nov 1975 |
|
4025790 |
Jetter et al. |
May 1977 |
|
4039828 |
Pokar et al. |
Aug 1977 |
|
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
555202 |
Mar 1975 |
|