Measurement of inorganic acids with rotating ball inlet mass spectrometry

Abstract Using a new acid resistant inlet we have evaluated the use of rotating ball inlet mass spectrometry (ROBIN-MS) as a tool for the measurement of inorganic acids in aqueous solution. EI-spectra of sulfuric, sulfurous, nitric, perchloric, bromic, iodic and boric acids were recorded and interpreted with respect to preionization decomposition and electron impact fragmentation. With the exception of sulfuric acid the detection limits for these acids were in the order of 1 mM and the response times are in the order of 1 s. Sulfuric acid had a significantly higher detection limit and response time than the other acids. No mass spectrum of phosphoric acid could be detected. High concentrations of phosphoric acid reduced the signals of other acids. HCl formed by decomposition of perchloric acid caused a strong and slowly recovering decrease of the sensitivity of the mass spectrometer. Sodium sulfate or sodium nitrate in neutral solution did not yield any mass spectrum. The intensity of the sulfuric acid peak of acid solutions of sodium sulfate was measured at different molar ratios of sodium and sulfate. The results indicate that the evaporation of such samples leaves a remnant containing three molecules of sulfuric acid per sodium ion. Similar measurements on acid solutions of sodium nitrate indicate that the remnant contains one molecule of nitric acid per sodium ion.