TY - JOUR A1 - Tiebe, Carlo A1 - Miessner, H. A1 - Koch, B. A1 - Hübert, Thomas T1 - Detection of microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) by ion-mobility spectrometry JF - Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry N2 - Traces of microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) in air can indicate the presence of growth of moulds in the indoor environment. Ion-mobility spectrometry is a very promising method for detection of these MVOCs, because of its high sensitivity. For development of an in-situ method for detection of MVOCs, a portable ion-mobility spectrometer (IMS) was used and test gases of 14 MVOCs and their respective mixtures were investigated. IMS spectra were recorded as a function of concentration of MVOCs in air. Drift time and mobility of reactant ions formed in positive polarity mode were determined and correlated with the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) of the MVOCs investigated. The estimated detection limit has a specific value for each MVOC and is in the range 3 to 96 µg m-3 (1 to 52 ppbV). Indoor trials show that IMS can indicate hidden mould growth. KW - Trace gas analysis KW - MVOCs KW - Ion-mobility spectrometry KW - Mould detection PY - 2009 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-009-3147-4 SN - 1618-2642 SN - 1618-2650 VL - 395 IS - 7 SP - 2313 EP - 2323 PB - Springer CY - Berlin AN - OPUS4-20082 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -