Selectivity Beyond Mass: Real-Time Isomer Separation Using SLIM IMS Coupled to PTR-MS.

ABSTRACT: Proton-transfer-reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) provides real-time analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) relevant to atmospheric research, food and flavor characterization, industrial process control, and medical applications. However, PTR-MS is inherently limited in its ability to resolve isomers of molecules with the same mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). To address this selectivity constraint, we coupled a time-of-flight (TOF) based PTR-MS setup with a "Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations Ion Mobility Spectrometry" (SLIM IMS) module. The integration of SLIM IMS introduces an additional separation dimension without compromising the real-time capability of PTR-MS. A custom designed SLIM device enabled efficient confinement and transmission of low mass ions (m/z < 300), which a

SUBMITTER: Jordan J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12853077 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature