Application of Single-Particle Mass Spectrometer to Obtain Chemical Signatures of Various Combustion Aerosols.

A single-particle mass spectrometer (SPMS) with laser ionization was constructed to determine the chemical composition of single particles in real time. The technique was evaluated using various polystyrene latex particles with different sizes (125 nm, 300 nm, 700 nm, and 1000 nm); NaCl, KCl, MgCO, CaCO, and AlO particles with different chemical compositions; an internal mixture of NaCl and KCl; and an internal mixture of NaCl, KCl, and MgCl with different mixing states. The results show that the SPMS can be useful for the determination of chemical characteristics and mixing states of single particles in real time.