Analysis of biomass and its combustion products by means of resonance enhanced multiphoton ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry and IR laser desorption

Comprehensive characterisation of organic combustion emissions is crucial for the development of reduction measures. A special ion source has been developed, which can be switched rapidly between direct-inlet gas-phase analysis and solid sample characterisation. Field measurements of wood combustion flue gas are presented. Semi-volatile aromatic flue gas constituents were analysed via time-resolved on-line REMPI-TOFMS while low-volatile aromatic compounds, which were precipitated with the particulate matter on a filter, were characterised by direct LD-REMPI-TOFMS from the glass fibre filter material. By combining the gas and particle phase results, a rather comprehensive characterisation was achieved of the aromatic species present in the flue gas, i.e. aerosol - gas phase plus particulate matter.