The effect of ion molecule reactions on peaks in ion mobility spectrometry

The peak width, shape and position are heavily affected by ion–molecule reactions which are inevitable in the drift region of an ion mobility spectrometer. This paper discusses three major types of reactions occurring in drift tube and their effects on the shape and displacement of the peaks. The first reaction is the dissociation of dimer ions during their flight time creating a tail for the monomer peak. The second one is the reaction between the monomer ions with molecules of the same kind in the drift region. Such a process shifts the peak to longer drift times and causes a tail for the peak as well as its broadening. The last one is the reaction of ions with molecules of different types such as dopant which may exist in the drift region. Depending on the reactivity of the ions, this kind of reaction displaces the peaks differently so that peak-to-peak resolution is lost or, in some cases, gained.     

On the probability of nucleation at the surface of freezing drops

Recent publications have proposed that nucleation in the freezing of supercooled drops occurs at the drop surface, an idea supported by statistical thermodynamic arguments by Cahn [J. Chem. Phys. 1977, 66, 3667] coupled with thermodynamic arguments by Tabazadeh et al. [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2002, 99, 15873]. Whether this phenomenon is general is examined by molecular dynamics simulations of the freezing of deeply supercooled liquid clusters of SeF6. It is found for this model system that while nucleation occurs not infrequently at the surface, it more often takes place in the interior. The probability for surface nucleation increases with the depth of supercooling. How this relates to theories of Cahn and Tabazadeh et al. is discussed briefly.     

On the equations describing chromatographic peaks and the problem of the deconvolution of overlapped peaks

The problem of the appropriate choice of the function that describes a chromatographic peak is examined in combination with the deconvolution of overlapped peaks by means of the non-linear least-squares method. It is shown that the majority of the functions proposed in the literature to describe chromatographic peaks are not suitable for this purpose. Only the polynomial modified Gaussian function can describe almost every peak but it is mathematically incorrect unless it is redefined properly. Two new functions are proposed and discussed. It is also shown that the deconvolution of an overlapping peak can be done with high accuracy using a non-linear least-squares procedure, like Microsoft Solver, but this target is attained only if we use as fitted parameters the position of the peak maximum and the peak area (or height) of every component in the unresolved chromatographic peak. In case we use as fitted parameters all the parameters that describe each single peak enclosed in the multi-component peak, then Solver leads to better fits, which though do not correspond to the best deconvolution of the peak. Finally, it is found that Solver gives much better results than those of modern methods, like the immune and genetic algorithms.     

The narrow energy separation of satellite peaks observed in the N 1s spectrum of a novel charge-transfer complex

The N 1s spectra of a novel charge-transfer complex containing sulfilimine as donor and of related compounds were measured. The energy separation between two peaks observed in the N 1s spectrum of the nitro group in the complex is narrower than that in sulfilimine.     

Lattice theory of ultrafast excitonic and charge-transfer dynamics in DNA

We propose a lattice fermion model suitable for studying the ultrafast photoexcitation dynamics of ordered chains of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymers. The model includes both parallel (intrachain) and perpendicular (cross-chain) terms as well as diagonal cross-chain terms coupling neighboring bases. The general form of our Hamiltonian is borrowed from lattice fermion models of quantum chromodynamics. The band structure for this model can be determined analytically, and we use this as a basis for computing the singly excited states of the poly(dA)poly(dT) DNA duplex using configuration interaction singles. Parameters for the model are taken from various literature sources and our own ab initio calculations. Results indicate that the excited states consist of a low energy band of dark charge-separated states followed by separate bands of delocalized excitonic states which have weak mixing between the thymidine and adenosine sides of the DNA chain. We then propose a lattice exciton model based upon the transition dipole-dipole couplings between bases and compare the analytical results for the survival probability of an initially localized exciton to exact numerical results. The results herein underscore the competing role of excitonic and charge-transfer dynamics in these systems.     

On the use of computer assisted resolution of non-separable peaks in a congener specific polybrominated diphenyl ether capillary gas chromatographic analysis

The use of computer assisted deconvolution for chromatographically not separated peaks in the analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) by capillary gas chromatography (CGC) was studied. Twenty-two not separated clusters containing 48 overlapped PBDEs were registered in the separation of a sample containing 122 PBDE congeners on a semipolar poly(8%-phenyl-92%-dimethyl)siloxane column. There were only two clusters in which overlapped PBDEs differ in the number of bromine atoms {PBDE 126(5Br) co-elutes with 154(6Br) and PBDE 105(5Br) co-elutes with 144(6Br)} and therefore their mass spectra could be successfully used for deconvolution purposes. In 22 other clusters 46 isomeric PBDEs with identical mass spectra overlapped and for their resolution a computer assisted deconvolution procedure using a commercial available program was used. A published procedure for the estimation of minimum number of peaks in a peak cluster for which the data found by deconvolution are reliable, has been adapted. Using this procedure, for eight overlapped PBDE full peak data (single peak retention times and peak areas) were extracted.     

On surface tension theory of salt melts

Density functional theory was developed to take into account the effect of charge density gradient on the surface tension of asymmetric ionic melts. The predicted values are compared with the experimental data on the surface tension of the majority of alkali metal halides.     

Estimation of the volume neutralization effect on the ion decay in irradiated liquids

In the framework of a recently suggested recombination model it is shown that an increase of the initial ion concentration caused by higher irradiation doses leads to an increase of the fraction of ions recombining in the volume. This effect is represented for two different rate functions R/t/ assumed to describe the recombination rate for single ion pairs. Finally consequences of the volume recombination effect on the product yield of a competitive ion-scavenger reaction and for the determination of the real survival probability of the isolated ion pairs are discussed.     

纳米材料辅助负离子激光解吸电离-飞行时间质谱分析小分子研究进展

基质辅助激光解吸电离-飞行时间质谱（MALDI-TOF MS）作为一种软电离质谱技术,目前已被广泛用于蛋白质、多肽、核酸、聚合物等大分子分析。由于传统有机化合物基质在低相对分子质量（小于700 Da）区域的干扰,该技术在小分子物质分析方面受到很大限制。为克服传统有机化合物基质在低相对分子质量区域的干扰,近年来以纳米材料为代表的无机基质材料备受关注。相对传统有机化合物基质或纳米材料正离子模式,基于纳米材料的负离子激光解吸电离（LDI）有效避免了正离子模式下一种化合物会产生多种加合物的问题,具有图谱简单易于解析、灵敏度高、重现性好等优点。该文综述了近5年来纳米材料负离子LDI-TOF MS技术在小分子分析方面的研究进展,以期拓展该技术在小分子分析方面的应用。     

On the compositions and strengths of charge-transfer complexes

The compositions of charge-transfer complexes of urea and thiourea with some aromatic hydrocarbons (naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene and biphenyl) have been established through phase diagram studies. The enthalpies and entropies of fusion of these complexes have been estimated by differential scanning calorimetry. It is observed that the relative stabilities of the solid-state charge-transfer complexes in the donor-acceptor systems studied cannot be predicted from the areas under the curves of the congruent compounds in the phase diagrams.

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Zusammenfassung Die Zusammensetzung von Donator-Akzeptor-Komplexen von Harnstoff und Thioharnstoff mit einigen aromatischen Kohlenwasserstoffen, nämlich Naphthalin, Anthracen, Phenanthren und Biphenyl, wurde durch Phasendiagrammuntersuchungen ermittelt. Schmelzenthalpie und -entropie dieser Komplexe wurden mittels DSC bestimmt. Es wurde festgestellt, daß die relative Stabilität der festen Donator-Akzeptor-Komplexe nicht aus der Fläche unter der Kurve im Phasendiagramm der kongruenten Verbindungen vorausgesagt werden kann.

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One of the authors (R.S.) is grateful to I.C.A.R. (India) for financial assistance.     

Matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation ion mobility separation mass spectrometry imaging of ex-vivo human skin

Matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation ion mobility separation mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-IMS-MSI) has been employed to image the distribution of proteins in ex-vivo human skin. Using a “bottom-up” proteomics approach employing “on-tissue” digestion the distribution of abundant skin proteins; collagen, keratin, decorin and serum albumin could be mapped. Images have been recorded at 150 and 30 μm spatial resolution. Multivariate statistical analysis of the data has been employed to associate specific proteins with layers of the skin. The improved specificity given by the use of ion mobility separation in mass spectrometric imaging has been demonstrated by separation of peptide ions from phospholipids.     

On the origin of long-lived emission in some charge-transfer crystals

Temperature dependence of emission spectra, decay times and intensity of emission, for molecular (1:1) crystals of charge-transfer (CT) complexes of tetrachloro- and tetrabromophthalic anhydride with penta- and hexamethylbenzene, have been investigated over a wide temperature range (1.7–300 K). A long-lived emission, observed in those crystals, has been identified as CT phosphorescence from CT triplet traps. No delayed emission, controlled by triplet—triplet annihilation (P-type), has been found. An explanation of observations connected with the fact that these complexes belong to the class where the lowest triplet state is of charge-transfer character is offered.     

Time-dependent picture of the charge-transfer contributions to surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

We reexamine the Herzberg-Teller theory of charge-transfer contributions to the theory of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). In previous work, the Kramers-Heisenberg-Dirac framework was utilized to explain many of the observed features in SERS. However, recent experimental and theoretical developments suggest that we revise the theory to take advantage of the time-dependent picture of Raman scattering. Results are obtained for molecular adsorption on nanoparticles in both the strong confinement limit and the weak confinement limit. We show that the Herzberg-Teller contributions to the charge-transfer effect in SERS display a resonance at the molecule-to-metal or metal-to-molecule transition while retaining the selection rules associated with normal Raman spectroscopy (i.e., harmonic oscillator, as opposed to Franck-Condon overlaps). The charge-transfer contribution to the enhancement factor scales as Gamma(-4), where Gamma is the homogeneous linewidth of the charge-transfer transition, and thus is extremely sensitive to the magnitude of this parameter. We show that the Herzberg-Teller coupling term may be associated with the polaron-coupling constant of the surface phonon-electron interaction. A time-dependent expression for the Raman amplitude is developed, and we discuss the implications of these results for both metal and semiconductor nanoparticle surfaces.     

Nikolsky’s ion exchange theory versus Baucke’s dissociation mechanism of the glass electrode

The discovery of the glass electrode by Max Cremer was possible because of the advances made in the nineteenth century in understanding the electrical properties of glass, and because of the studies of electrical potential drops at the interface of phases. The discovery of the Leiden jar by E. G. von Kleist and the follow-up studies of the properties of that capacitor disclosed that glass is a dielectric. Much later, the ionic conductivity of glass was noticed and studied by J. H. Buff, W. von Beetz, W. Thomson (Baron Kelvin of Largs), W. Giese, H. L. F. von Helmholtz, E. Warburg, etc. It needed also the discovery of electromotive forces due to the partition of mobile ions (charge separation) by W. Nernst and E. H. Riesenfeld to pave the way for the idea that ion partition also occurs at solid–solution interfaces producing electromotive forces (emf). At the beginning of the twentieth century, the ground was laid to expect that a very thin glass membrane may produce an electromotive force because the glass has a finite ionic conductivity and ion partition may cause an emf. It obviously needed a physiologist like Max Cremer who desired to mimic a cell membrane (a semipermeable membrane), to use a glass membrane for that purpose. Cremer’s congenial choice of a thin glass bulb was rooted in a thorough understanding of the origin of electromotive forces, and it was not initiated directly by the Giese-Helmholtz cell, as some later reviews suggested. Later Cremer realized that an emf builds up when aqueous solutions are separated by a thin glass membrane. Cremer’s discovery was picked up by F. Haber who developed the glass electrode together with his PhD student Z. Klemensiewicz as an analytical tool. The following decades have brought improvements of the glasses and measuring techniques, and a deeper insight into the functioning of the glass electrode. Here, it will be shown that full credit for the discovery of the glass electrode effect must be given to Max Cremer. Unfortunately, his role has not been adequately described so far, mainly because Haber dominated the literature.