PTR -TOF.

ABSTRACTProton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) allows for real time, online determination of absolute concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with a high sensitivity and low detection limits (in the parts per trillion ranges). The technique utilizes H3O+ions for proton transfer reactions with many common VOCs while having little to no reaction with any constituents commonly present in it are detected by PTR- TOF .It combines the desirable attributes of high sensitivity and short integration times with good precision and accuracy . Medical applications by means of breath analysis allow the monitoring of metabolic processes in the human body, and examples of food research include investigations of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from fruit, coffee and meat. Investigations of VOC emissions from decaying bio-matter and on-line monitoring of the diurnal variations of VOCs in ambient air are typical examples of Environmental applications. Keywords: PTR-MS, Volatile organic compounds, PTR -TOF.