Articles | Volume 16, issue 21
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5261-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5261-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
08 Nov 2023
Research article |
| 08 Nov 2023
| 08 Nov 2023
Measurements of volatile organic compounds in ambient air by gas-chromatography and real-time Vocus PTR-TOF-MS: calibrations, instrument background corrections, and introducing a PTR Data Toolkit
Andrew R. Jensen
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
Abigail R. Koss
Tofwerk USA, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA
Ryder B. Hales
Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
Joost A. de Gouw
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
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Cited
25 citations as recorded by crossref.
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- The Yield of Oxygenated VOCs from Ozone Deposition on Aged Indoor Surfaces J. Downey & J. Abbatt https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c00341
- Laboratory Analysis of VOC Emissions from Structural Materials in Wildland–Urban Interface Fires W. Dresser et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c11276
- Chemical characteristics of submicron particles in the Yellow Sea of Korea using aircraft measurements during the 2019–2023 period J. Park et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.123148
- Characterization of Indoor Air Quality in a University Library: Implications Associated with Pollutant Emissions from New and Old Books and Chemicals T. Santos et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/15275922.2024.2432495
- Light-Driven Abiotic Formation of Dimethyl Selenyl Sulfide in the Liquid and Gas Phases P. Heine et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.4c00354
- Headspace Particulate Measurements of Low Vapor Pressure Inorganic Oxidizers for Detection Canine Disciplines J. Jong et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.5c12409
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- VOC emissions from commercial wood panels using PTR-MS for indoor air quality evaluation S. Ghaffari Jabbari et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1591669
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- How to Manage the Humidity of Biological Samples to Reduce Interference on Chemical Sensors A. Tischer et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408347.2026.2641165
- Boiling of Catechol Secondary Organic Aerosol When Heated to Mild Temperatures (36–52 °C) Due to Carbon Dioxide Formation and High Viscosity K. Kiland et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestair.4c00027
- Atmospheric fate of 4:2 fluorotelomer alcohol using an oxidation flow reactor and proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry A. Colussi et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EM00943J
- Application of a human bronchoepithelial—air–liquid interface model to assess respiratory hazard of VOCs using a benchmark concentration modeling approach O. Lampe et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/08958378.2026.2623547
- Calibration innovations to enhance the accuracy of proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry for volatile organic compounds measurements L. Meng et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2024.120923
- Comparative analysis of indoor volatile organic compound levels in an office: Impact of occupancy and centrally controlled ventilation S. Joo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121057
- Emerging Amines in the Atmosphere: Occurrence and Potential Relevance to Carbon Capture Y. Zhao et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.6c00083
- Product ion distributions using H3O+ proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS): mechanisms, transmission effects, and instrument-to-instrument variability M. Link et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1013-2025
- Characteristics and sources of organic vapors during O3 pollution in a megacity Wuhan in China: from hydrocarbons to highly oxidized molecules C. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2026.122127
- 100% humidity independent PTR-MS: Novel method and proof-of-concept* K. Winkler et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1402-4896/ad9362
- Online molecular insights into sources and formation of organic aerosol in Shanghai S. Xue et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01230-6
- Deployment and evaluation of an NH4+∕ H3O+ reagent ion switching chemical ionization mass spectrometer for the detection of reduced and oxygenated gas-phase organic compounds C. Zang & M. Willis https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-17-2025
25 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Interpretation of mass spectra by a Vocus proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) at an urban site: insights from gas chromatographic pre-separation Y. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3547-2025
- Ozone generation and chemistry from 222 nm germicidal ultraviolet light in a fragrant restroom M. Link et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4EM00144C
- The Yield of Oxygenated VOCs from Ozone Deposition on Aged Indoor Surfaces J. Downey & J. Abbatt https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c00341
- Laboratory Analysis of VOC Emissions from Structural Materials in Wildland–Urban Interface Fires W. Dresser et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c11276
- Chemical characteristics of submicron particles in the Yellow Sea of Korea using aircraft measurements during the 2019–2023 period J. Park et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.123148
- Characterization of Indoor Air Quality in a University Library: Implications Associated with Pollutant Emissions from New and Old Books and Chemicals T. Santos et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/15275922.2024.2432495
- Light-Driven Abiotic Formation of Dimethyl Selenyl Sulfide in the Liquid and Gas Phases P. Heine et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.4c00354
- Headspace Particulate Measurements of Low Vapor Pressure Inorganic Oxidizers for Detection Canine Disciplines J. Jong et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.5c12409
- Molecular and seasonal characteristics of organic vapors in urban Beijing: insights from Vocus-PTR measurements Z. An et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13793-2024
- Volatile Organic Compounds Inside Homes Impacted by Smoke from the Marshall Fire W. Dresser et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestair.4c00259
- Multi-stress interaction effects on BVOC emission fingerprints from Oak and Beech: A cross-investigation using Machine Learning and Positive Matrix Factorization B. Dey et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-1423-2026
- VOC emissions from commercial wood panels using PTR-MS for indoor air quality evaluation S. Ghaffari Jabbari et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1591669
- BVOC and speciated monoterpene concentrations and fluxes at a Scandinavian boreal forest R. Petersen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17205-2025
- How to Manage the Humidity of Biological Samples to Reduce Interference on Chemical Sensors A. Tischer et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408347.2026.2641165
- Boiling of Catechol Secondary Organic Aerosol When Heated to Mild Temperatures (36–52 °C) Due to Carbon Dioxide Formation and High Viscosity K. Kiland et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestair.4c00027
- Atmospheric fate of 4:2 fluorotelomer alcohol using an oxidation flow reactor and proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry A. Colussi et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EM00943J
- Application of a human bronchoepithelial—air–liquid interface model to assess respiratory hazard of VOCs using a benchmark concentration modeling approach O. Lampe et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/08958378.2026.2623547
- Calibration innovations to enhance the accuracy of proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry for volatile organic compounds measurements L. Meng et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2024.120923
- Comparative analysis of indoor volatile organic compound levels in an office: Impact of occupancy and centrally controlled ventilation S. Joo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121057
- Emerging Amines in the Atmosphere: Occurrence and Potential Relevance to Carbon Capture Y. Zhao et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.6c00083
- Product ion distributions using H3O+ proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS): mechanisms, transmission effects, and instrument-to-instrument variability M. Link et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1013-2025
- Characteristics and sources of organic vapors during O3 pollution in a megacity Wuhan in China: from hydrocarbons to highly oxidized molecules C. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2026.122127
- 100% humidity independent PTR-MS: Novel method and proof-of-concept* K. Winkler et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1402-4896/ad9362
- Online molecular insights into sources and formation of organic aerosol in Shanghai S. Xue et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01230-6
- Deployment and evaluation of an NH4+∕ H3O+ reagent ion switching chemical ionization mass spectrometer for the detection of reduced and oxygenated gas-phase organic compounds C. Zang & M. Willis https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-17-2025
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 08 Jul 2026
Short summary
Quantification of a wide range of volatile organic compounds by proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) can be achieved with direct calibration of only a subset of compounds, characterization of instrument response, and simple reaction kinetics. We characterized our Vocus PTR-MS and developed a toolkit as a guide through this process. A catalytic zero air generator provided the lowest detection limits, and short, frequent calibrations informed variability in instrument response.
Quantification of a wide range of volatile organic compounds by proton-transfer-reaction mass...
