Environment and Nanotechnology - Institute for Chemical Education
Environment and Nanotechnology - Institute for Chemical Education
Environment and Nanotechnology - Institute for Chemical Education
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nanoDESI<br />
Cars, fires, industrial manufacturing plants, <strong>and</strong> others produce a<br />
complex variety of chemicals in the air, often to the detriment of the<br />
environment <strong>and</strong> our health.<br />
• Traditional methods <strong>for</strong> determining the<br />
chemical makeup of the air around us<br />
requires expensive equipment <strong>and</strong> experts<br />
<strong>for</strong> preparation of the sample to be tested.<br />
• Researchers at the PNNL developed the<br />
nanoDESI to make it faster <strong>and</strong> easier to<br />
make those measurements.<br />
• For analysis, the sample is first dissolved into<br />
a liquid (called a solvent), then the<br />
dissolved sample is made into an aerosol of<br />
ions by nano-electrospray ionization.<br />
• Now that the sample is aerosolized, the<br />
particulate can be analyzed using a high<br />
resolution mass spectrometer.<br />
Created at PNNL, the nanoDESI<br />
requires no sample preparation <strong>and</strong><br />
provides a reliable, simple way to<br />
introduce samples into a mass<br />
spectrometer <strong>for</strong> detailed analysis.<br />
Photo Credit: PNNL<br />
Resources [1] “Scientific Stimulus Produces Results: A cascade of opportunities are unleashed by one instrument, a novel idea, <strong>and</strong> EMSL's<br />
intramural program,” EMSL, http://www.emsl.pnl.gov/news/viewArticle.jsparticleId=147<br />
[2] “New Technique Provides Sensitive Analysis of Atmospheric Particles,” PNNL,<br />
http://www.pnl.gov/science/highlights/highlight.aspid=813
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