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Atmospheric Chemistry @ UEA
FACILITIES
Autospec Mass Spectrometer
The Autospec GCMS facility is capable of detecting below 10-15 moles per mole levels of analytes in
samples of less than 100 ml of air. The instrument combines an in-house pre-concentration unit with an Agilent 6890N gas chromatograph,
coupled to a high resolution, magnetic sector mass spectrometer (Waters/Micromass Autospec). The latest instrument replaces an older
model and was installed in early 2006.
The Weybourne Atmospheric Observatory
The Atmospheric Chemistry Group has a well equipped measurement site on the north Norfolk coast at Weybourne (52.95°N, 1.13°E)
where measurements of a wide range of atmospheric trace gases have been made over many years. The observatory has been the site of
several UK and international measurement campaigns including INSPECTRO and TORCH II
and is regularly used by non-UEA researchers.
The WAO facility is managed by Brian Bandy and more detailed information about the site can be found here.
Aircraft Instruments
The ACG have several instruments designed for use on aircraft, and which fly on the FAAM-146 UK research aircraft, most
recently in the AMMA campaign. They will be an important part of the aircraft measurements in the upcoming OP3 project. We
currently operate a fast response 4-channel NOxy instrument, a PTR-MS instrument measuring oxygenates and biogenic VOCs,
formaldehyde and peroxide instruments, and perform GC-MS analysis of Whole Air Samples for halocarbons and organic nitrates.
Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry
We currently own two PTR-MS instruments, one of which has been adapted for use on the FAAM/BAe-146 research aircraft. These are capable of measuring many important VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the atmosphere at a high sampling rate. Compounds analysed include isoprene and its oxidation products, selected OVOCs (oxygenated VOCs), aromatic hydrocarbons and acetonitrile, a useful tracer of biomass burning emissions.
Benchtop Mass Spectrometry
We currently have three benchtop GC-MS instruments (Agilent MSD) with automated pre-concentration units. Two of these are capable of operation in negative ion chemical ionisation (NICI) mode, which gives much greater sensitivity for some compounds than traditional electron ionisation (EI). The instruments have been involved in many ground-based campaigns and are used in the analysis of whole air samples collected during aircraft experiments.
Ice Core Room
The group operates a -25oC cold room which we use for handling ice cores as well as snow blocks. We also have the facility to extract the air from ice samples for analysis on the Autospec MS or the Stable Isotope Mass Spectrometer operated at UEA.
Benchtop Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer
A field-portable benchtop ToF mass spectrometer with 2D Gas Chromatography capability and sample pre-concentration is currently under development with the instrument manufacturers.