The PTR 3c
PTR-TOF-MS

Automatic reactor pressure control

This feature uses fine, stepper motor control of a needle valve in order to maintain the reactor pressure at a constant, user-defined pressure. The pressure of the reactor is constantly monitored by a capacitance manometer and the signal can be used to feedback and maintain the reactor pressure constant.

Reagent gas metering

Whether using H₃O⁺ as the reagent ion or another gas to produce a reagent ion such as O₂⁺, a solid state device measures the reagent gas flow into the glow discharge ion source, thus enabling the reagent flow to be set accurately and to be repeatable.

PTR monitor software

A new, dedicated software utility controls and displays key parameters that determine the collision energy inside the reactor. The reactor pressure and temperature are entered by the user, and these are used for feedback control of these parameters. The resultant E/n value is calculated in real time and displayed. These key parameters are subsequently stored with the data set. The reagent gas metering flow rate is also displayed in this utility.

High mass resolution, high mass accuracy TOF spectrometer

All control voltages of the mass spectrometer are now under full computer control with read-back facilities. The instrument operates with a mass resolution of ~3000 at full transmission (high sensitivity), but the resolution can be increased further with some transmission losses. This can be useful, for example, where obtaining data at the highest resolution reduces the uncertainty of the exact mass of an unknown peak of interest.

Silcosteel-coated analyte lines

Now, as standard, all stainless steel surfaces leading to the reactor and that are in contact with analyte gas, including the pressure-determining needle valve, are coated with an inert coating to prevent adsorption of analytes such as small, sulphur-containing molecules.

Easy-to-service analyte inlet and reactor system

In a well-used instrument, the cathode of the glow discharge ion source requires periodic cleaning. The architecture and the fittings used for the reactor oven and inlet gas lines has been completely redesigned to allow easy disconnection and, importantly, the ability to reconnect with assurance of vacuum integrity. The inlet system can now be disassembled and reassembled under vacuum within one hour.

All the Kore Technology PTR-MS models can be upgraded to increase the functionality and usability of the Kore Technology PTR-MS instruments. Our optional modules have been developed to provide a complete PTR-MS solution.

Reagent Ion Switching

This optional module allows rapid switching of reagent ion gases under full computer control (water vapour and 2 alternative reagent ion gasses). The switching can be controlled manually or set to switch at pre-set time intervals.

Permeation Calibration Device

The permeation mass calibration device is a heated module to allow addition of a low concentration of a mass calibrant through a permeation device directly into the PTR reactor allowing automatic mass calibration with a calibrant across the mass range 0-350amu.

Heated Inlet Lines

All our PTR-MS instruments can be supplied with internal and external heated inlet lines, capable of 200°C and constructed of passivated inert materials for minimum VOC losses and low VOC adsorption.

PTR Field Measurement Kit

As part of our extensive prototype testing, we designed a field measurement kit to take some of the hassle out of field campaigns. The kit comprises of winch equipment to get a compact PTR-MS into and out of a van and power adapters and equipment for running the instrument using a custom designed portable power supply (the Kore Technology Field Battery Pack).

Inlet Flow Control

For some user applications, it is important to know the flow of sample/analyte gas past the sampling inlet, in order to reduce residence time of sample gas in the inlet system and to produce repeatable sampling conditions. This optional extra allows for computer-controlled inlet flow by mass flow controller, allowing the user to set the flow of inlet gas up to 1 LPM.

Inlet Modules

Kore Technology have developed a series of robust inlet modules including PTFE swab desorbers, trap tube desorbers and SPME desorbers.

Flight Cases

Our standard shipping containers are reusable padded wooden crates, which our customers often use for transporting the instruments to field sites. We also offer reusable flight cases with shock protection and durable sides for customers that ship the instruments regularly to field measurement sites.

PREFICS accessory:

Pre concentrator with Fast Integrated Chromatographic Separation.

The fast thermal swab desorber that is one of three sample inlet systems that we have developed for PREFICS is also available as a separate interface for our PTR-TOF-MS instruments for sensitive detection of semi-volatiles.

Application Areas

• Live VOC monitoring while driving (ambient air, product quality control and testing)
• VOC analysis
• Clean room air quality monitoring
• Breath analysis
• Food analysis
• Homeland security
• Odour identification (buildings, factories etc)
• Fence line monitoring

Application Notes

• Real-time Van Measurements
• Stationary Van Measurements
• BTEX in Ambient Air
• Breath Analysis
• Explosives Analysis

Product Note

• PTR 3c

2025

Andersen, S.T., Sander, R., Dewald, P., Wüst, L., Seubert, T., Türk, G.N., Schuladen, J., McGillen, M.R., Xue, C., Mellouki, A. and Kukui, A., 2025. Short-lived organic nitrates in a suburban temperate forest: an indication of efficient assimilation of reactive nitrogen by the biosphere?. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 25(11), pp.5893-5909.

https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/25/5893/2025/acp-25-5893-2025-relations.html

2024

Blau, S. and Jang, M., 2024. Modeling impacts of indoor environmental variables on secondary organic aerosol formation. Science of The Total Environment, 955, p.177036.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969724071936

Georgopoulou, M.P., Macias Rodriguez, J.C., Yegen, C.H., Kaltsonoudis, C., Cazaunau, M., Vasilakopoulou, C.N., Matrali, A., Seitanidi, K., Aktypis, A., Nenes, A. and Buissot, C., 2024. A coupled atmospheric simulation chamber system for the production of realistic aerosols and preclinical model exposure. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, 17(12), pp.2909-2930.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-024-01611-5

Vasquez, S., Angeli, M.A.C., Polo, A., Costantini, A., Petrelli, M., Avancini, E., Di Cagno, R., Gobbetti, M., Gaiardo, A., Valt, M. and Lugli, P., 2024. In vitro gastrointestinal gas monitoring with carbon nanotube sensors. Scientific Reports, 14(1), p.825.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-50134-z

2023

Lasne, J., Lostier, A., Romanias, M.N., Vassaux, S., Lesueur, D., Gaudion, V., Jamar, M., Derwent, R.G., Dusanter, S. and Salameh, T., 2023. VOC emissions by fresh and old asphalt pavements at service temperatures: impacts on urban air quality. Environmental Science: Atmospheres, 3(11), pp.1601-1619.

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2023/ea/d3ea00034f

2022

Picquet-Varrault, B., Cirtog, M., Duncianu, M., Pangui, E., David, M., Rayez, M.T. and Rayez, J.C., 2022. Kinetic and mechanistic study of the reactions of NO3 radicals with unsaturated aldehydes: 2-butenal, 2-methyl-2-butenal, and 3-methyl-2-butenal. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 126(46), pp.8682-8694.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jpca.2c04216

2021

Grimonprez, S., Wu, J., Faccinetto, A., Gosselin, S., Riber, E., Cuenot, B., Cazaunau, M., Pangui, E., Formenti, P., Doussin, J.F. and Petitprez, D., 2021. Hydrophilic properties of soot particles exposed to OH radicals: A possible new mechanism involved in the contrail formation. Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 38(4), pp.6441-6450.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1540748920303989

Olivenza-León, D., Mayhew, C.A. and González-Méndez, R., 2021. Proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry investigations of phthalate esters via direct headspace sampling. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 461, p.116497.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1387380620304206

2020

Lamkaddam, H., Gratien, A., Pangui, E., David, M., Peinado, F., Polienor, J.M., Jerome, M., Cazaunau, M., Gaimoz, C., Picquet-Varrault, B. and Kourtchev, I., 2020. Role of relative humidity in the secondary organic aerosol formation from high-NO x photooxidation of long-chain alkanes: N-dodecane case study. ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, 4(12), pp.2414-2425.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.0c00265

2019

Ibrahim, W., Wilde, M., Cordell, R., Salman, D., Ruszkiewicz, D., Bryant, L., Richardson, M., Free, R.C., Zhao, B., Yousuf, A. and White, C., 2019. Assessment of breath volatile organic compounds in acute cardiorespiratory breathlessness: a protocol describing a prospective real-world observational study. BMJ open, 9(3), p.e025486.

https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/3/e025486.abstract

Setyan, A., Flament, P., Locoge, N., Deboudt, K., Riffault, V., Alleman, L.Y., Schoemaecker, C., Arndt, J., Augustin, P., Healy, R.M. and Wenger, J.C., 2019. Investigation on the near-field evolution of industrial plumes from metalworking activities. Science of the Total Environment, 668, pp.443-456.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969719309088

2018

Bartali, R., Speranza, G., Aguey-Zinsou, K.F., Testi, M., Micheli, V., Canteri, R., Fedrizzi, M., Gottardi, G., Coser, G., Crema, L. and Pucker, G., 2018. Efficient hydrogen generation from water using nanocomposite flakes based on graphene and magnesium. Sustainable Energy & Fuels, 2(11), pp.2516-2525.

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2018/se/c8se00370j

De Haan, D.O., Tapavicza, E., Riva, M., Cui, T., Surratt, J.D., Smith, A.C., Jordan, M.C., Nilakantan, S., Almodovar, M., Stewart, T.N. and de Loera, A., 2018. Nitrogen-containing, light-absorbing oligomers produced in aerosol particles exposed to methylglyoxal, photolysis, and cloud cycling. Environmental Science & Technology, 52(7), pp.4061-4071.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.7b06105

Kammer, J., Perraudin, E., Flaud, P.M., Lamaud, E., Bonnefond, J.M. and Villenave, E., 2018. Observation of nighttime new particle formation over the French Landes forest. Science of The Total Environment, 621, pp.1084-1092.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969717328280

Lasne, J., Lostier, A., Romanias, M.N., Vassaux, S., Lesueur, D., Gaudion, V., Jamar, M., Derwent, R.G., Dusanter, S. and Salameh, T., 2023. VOC emissions by fresh and old asphalt pavements at service temperatures: impacts on urban air quality. Environmental Science: Atmospheres, 3(11), pp.1601-1619.

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2023/ea/d3ea00034f

Medeiros, D.J., Blitz, M.A., James, L., Speak, T.H. and Seakins, P.W., 2018. Kinetics of the reaction of OH with isoprene over a wide range of temperature and pressure including direct observation of equilibrium with the OH adducts. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 122(37), pp.7239-7255.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jpca.8b04829

2017

Brown, P.A., Cristescu, S.M., Mullock, S.J., Reich, D.F., Lamont-Smith, C.S. and Harren, F.J., 2017. Implementation and characterization of an RF ion funnel ion guide as a proton transfer reaction chamber. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 414, pp.31-38.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1387380616301993

Duncianu, M., David, M., Kartigueyane, S., Cirtog, M., Doussin, J.F. and Picquet-Varrault, B., 2017. Measurement of alkyl and multifunctional organic nitrates by proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 10(4), pp.1445-1463.

https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/10/1445/2017/

Lourenço, C., González-Méndez, R., Reich, F., Mason, N. and Turner, C., 2017. A potential method for comparing instrumental analysis of volatile organic compounds using standards calibrated for the gas phase. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 419, pp.1-10.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1387380617300945

Reed Harris, A.E., Pajunoja, A., Cazaunau, M., Gratien, A., Pangui, E., Monod, A., Griffith, E.C., Virtanen, A., Doussin, J.F. and Vaida, V., 2017. Multiphase photochemistry of pyruvic acid under atmospheric conditions. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 121(18), pp.3327-3339.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jpca.7b01107

Riva, M., Healy, R.M., Flaud, P.M., Perraudin, E., Wenger, J.C. and Villenave, E., 2017. Gas-and particle-phase products from the photooxidation of acenaphthene and acenaphthylene by OH radicals. Atmospheric Environment, 151, pp.34-44.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1352231016309530

Zannoni, N., Gros, V., Sarda Esteve, R., Kalogridis, C., Michoud, V., Dusanter, S., Sauvage, S., Locoge, N., Colomb, A. and Bonsang, B., 2017. Summertime OH reactivity from a receptor coastal site in the Mediterranean Basin. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 17(20), pp.12645-12658.

https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/17/12645/2017/

2016

Lamkaddam, H., Gratien, A., Pangui, E., Cazaunau, M., Picquet-Varrault, B. and Doussin, J.F., 2017. High-NO x photooxidation of n-dodecane: Temperature dependence of SOA formation. Environmental Science & Technology, 51(1), pp.192-201.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.6b03821

Riva, M., Healy, R.M., Tomaz, S., Flaud, P.M., Perraudin, E., Wenger, J.C. and Villenave, E., 2016. Gas and particulate phase products from the ozonolysis of acenaphthylene. Atmospheric Environment, 142, pp.104-113.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1352231016305313

Rizk, M., Verriele, M., Dusanter, S., Schoemaecker, C. and Locoge, N., 2016. Fast sorption measurements of volatile organic compounds on building materials: Part 1–Methodology developed for field applications. Building and Environment, 99, pp.200-209.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132315302158

Sonderfeld, H., White, I.R., Goodall, I.C., Hopkins, J.R., Lewis, A.C., Koppmann, R. and Monks, P.S., 2016. What effect does VOC sampling time have on derived OH reactivity?. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 16(10), pp.6303-6318.

https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/16/6303/2016/

2015

Duporte, G., Flaud, P.M., Geneste, E., Augagneur, S., Pangui, E., Lamkaddam, H., Gratien, A., Doussin, J.F., Budzinski, H., Villenave, E. and Perraudin, E., 2016. Experimental Study of the Formation of Organosulfates from α-Pinene Oxidation. Part I: Product Identification, Formation Mechanisms and Effect of Relative Humidity. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 120(40), pp.7909-7923.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jpca.6b08504

Riva, M., Healy, R.M., Flaud, P.M., Perraudin, E., Wenger, J.C. and Villenave, E., 2015. Gas-and particle-phase products from the chlorine-initiated oxidation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 119(45), pp.11170-11181.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jpca.5b04610

Wyche, K.P., Monks, P.S., Smallbone, K.L., Hamilton, J.F., Alfarra, M.R., Rickard, A.R., McFiggans, G.B., Jenkin, M.E., Bloss, W.J., Ryan, A.C. and Hewitt, C.N., 2015. Mapping gas-phase organic reactivity and concomitant secondary organic aerosol formation: chemometric dimension reduction techniques for the deconvolution of complex atmospheric data sets. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 15(14), pp.8077-8100.

https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/15/8077/2015/