Atmospheric sampling glow discharge ionization source

A method for analyzing gaseous chemicals in the atmosphere comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an ionization chamber defining an inlet and an outlet, said inlet communicating with the atmosphere for admitting an atmospheric gaseous sample to be analyzed, said outlet communicating with an analyzer which operates under vacuum, said chamber having disposed therein at least one pair of spaced electrodes proximate to a sample path leading from said inlet to said outlet;
• (b) maintaining the interior of said ionization chamber at subatmospheric pressure;
• (c) applying a voltage difference across said electrodes to induce a glow discharge between said electrodes;
• (d) admitting said atmospheric gas sample containing molecules to be analyzed through said inlet into said chamber, ionizing said molecules to be analyzed in said glow discharge, and directing the ionized molecules through the outlet and into the analyzer;
• and
• (e) analyzing the ionized molecules in said analyzer.

A method for analyzing gaseous chemicals in the atmosphere comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an ionization chamber defining an inlet and an outlet, said inlet communicating with the atmosphere for admitting an atmospheric gaseous sample to be analyzed, said outlet communicating with an analyzer which operates under vacuum, said chamber having disposed therein at least one pair of spaced electrodes proximate to a sample path leading from said inlet to said outlet;
• (b) maintaining the interior of said ionization chamber at subatmospheric pressure;
• (c) applying a voltage difference across said electrodes to induce a glow discharge between said electrodes;
• (d) admitting said atmospheric gas sample containing molecules to be analyzed through said inlet into said chamber, ionizing said molecules to be analyzed in said glow discharge, and directing the ionized molecules through the outlet and into the analyzer;
• and
• (e) analyzing the ionized molecules in said analyzer.