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RESEARCH PROFILES
Nanoparticle aerosol mass spectrometer
COURTESY OF MURRAY JOHNSTON
inlet. “The current inlet is good only “We reach what is called the complete Tiny nanoparticles, even smaller than for focusing particles ≥30 nm,” says ionization limit, which means that the viruses, are suspended in the air around Johnston. “However, in our particular particle is completely disintegrated into us. No one really knows the chemical case, even though we are not doing very composition of these particles or whether atoms and the atoms are quantitatively good focusing of the smaller particles, converted to positively charged atomic they are harmful, because they are exwe want just enough focusing to get ions,” he explains. From these atomic tremely difficult to measure. But that [them] through that first aperture into ions, the researchers get enough signal could be about to change. the quadrupole ion guide,” he says. to work with. In the March 15 issue of Analytical Nonetheless, the researchers Chemistry (pp 1750–1754), recently tried a newer inlet Murray Johnston and colthat was designed for focusleagues at the University of ing particles
