TY - CONF A1 - Tuma, Dirk T1 - Trace-level ammonia-water interactions in hydrogen: challenges in purity analysis using Optical-Feedback Cavity-Enhanced Absorption Spectroscopy (OF-CEAS) N2 - ISO 14687 defines a threshold of 100 ppb ammonia for hydrogen to be used in fuel cells. This work presents analysis methods using OF-CEAS and discusses moisture-related surface effects on the results. T2 - Gas Analysis 2026 CY - Paris, France DA - 27.01.2026 KW - OF-CEAS KW - Ammonia KW - Moisture effects PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65480 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Blume, Simon T1 - Femtosecond vs. Nanosecond Laser-induced XUV Spectroscopy (LIXS) N2 - In contrast to laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), measuring after a delay as long as a few microseconds, laser-induced XUV spectroscopy (LIXS) takes advantage of emissions from the very first instant of the pristine plasma. This process exhibits stable and intense line and recombination emissions in the XUV-range. Therefore, common challenges for precise measurements (e.g. quantification efforts) in LIBS caused by signal intensity fluctuations due to matrix effects and plasma-flicker noise are improved, as shown for ns-pulses. A femtosecond laser (pulse length ~100 fs) interacts fundamentally different with matter than a nanosecond laser. Of the many photons needed for ionization of the sample, less are absorbed via inverse Bremsstrahlung and more in a Franck-Condon multiphoton absorption (MPA) process. In combination with the higher peak power, and therefore higher initial plasma temperature (> 10 eV), atoms are selectively ionized to a higher degree while at the same time thermal dissipation and equilibration is reduced. This specificity in excitation leads to a reduced background and the highly ionized atoms overwhelmingly emit the desired XUV-radiation. Thus, fs-LIXS promises to lead to “cleaner” spectra with sharper separation of the emission lines. The capabilities of a fs-LIXS setup in comparison to ns-LIXS will be discussed. Samples of pure elements (Al, Si, Ni, Fe, Mg), as well as composite samples (CaF, LiF, PTFE, polypropylene) serve as model systems to demonstrate these capabilities. T2 - EMSLIBS 2025 CY - Senlis, France DA - 26.01.2026 KW - Femtosecond KW - LIXS KW - XUV KW - Elemental analysis PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65470 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Palásti, Dávid Jenö T1 - Utilizing modern fiber lasers for LIBS N2 - The development of laser sources plays a very important role in the quick advancements in the field of LIBS. However, the development of fiber lasers went mostly unnoticed by the wider LIBS community. These laser sources, traditionally used in industrial cutting and welding processes, despite their high-power output (hundreds of watts) and are very robust nature, were neglected, because they used to work only in continuous mode. Modern fiber lasers however, offer pulsed output with a couple of mJ-s pulse energy, which can be adequate for certain tasks [1,2]. Furthermore, the pulse duration and the pulse repetition rate can be varied in a reasonably wide range, while their price is a fraction of the ones traditionally used in research. In the recent years, our groups made experiences with modern fiber lasers to evaluate the feasibility of their usage in LIBS. The initial experiments proved that they are not just suitable for standard analytical tasks such as quantitative or qualitative analysis, but their unique set of features makes them capable for fundamental research, like no other laser sources currently on the market. The relatively low energy and elongated profile of the pulses are very efficient in ablation and in the generation of low temperature plasmas [3], which means the ionic lines are less numerous, while the emission is mostly free from the background emission typical for the early stages of the plasma lifetime. It can make spectrometer gating and signal integration much simpler and robust. A thorough set of investigations of single pulse, double pulse and even continuous irradiation experiments was performed. The effects of various parameters, such as energy, duration and shape of the pulse as well as inter pulse delay were investigated on the generated signal focusing mainly the signal intensity, the self-absorption and the width of the peaks as well as the plasma properties. T2 - EMSLIBS 2026 CY - Senlis, France DA - 26.01.2026 KW - LIBS KW - Fiber laser PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65561 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Hufgard, Josefin T1 - AIM Forward: Acoustic Ion Manipulation for Efficient Ambient-Pressure Ion Control N2 - In ion-based spectrometry techniques the possibility to manipulate ions is fundamentally important. Currently used ion optics mostly rely on magnetic or electric fields. The electromagnetic forces compete with ion diffusion and are therefore most effective under low-pressure conditions. Therefore, high-pressure ion optics pose challenges related to elevated powers and potentials as well as complex structures and electrode contamination. Acoustic Ion Manipulation (AIM) is a recently discovered phenomenon that relies on the unique interactions between gas-phase ions and acoustic waves. This presentation shows selected patterns of ion manipulation, highlights the flexibility of AIM and discusses its current limitations and potentials. T2 - DGMS Annual Conference 2026 CY - Leipzig, Germany DA - 10.03.2026 KW - Acoustic ion manipulation KW - Mass spectrometry PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65680 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Zöllner, Moritz T1 - Raman spectroscopy as a thermometric tool for the analysis of mortar binders N2 - The reconstruction of the thermal history of anthropogenic materials is crucial for understanding historical manufacturing techniques. Preparatory parameters such as firing temperature, heating and cooling rates, soaking time, and kiln atmosphere significantly affect the chemical and structural properties of the final product. Comparing historical materials with replicas produced under well-defined laboratory conditions helps identify indicators for these parameters. This comparative approach is greatly enhanced by spectroscopic analyses. Raman spectroscopy has proven to be a powerful tool in this field due to its high sensitivity to crystal-chemical alterations and high spatial resolution. The results of thermal experiments with gypsum and carbonate raw materials at burning temperatures up to 1000 °C are presented. Precise measurements of Raman peak positions and Raman band widths enable the differentiation of chemically similar phases. Changes in the Raman band parameters are evident even after the subsequent hydration-hardening process of the fired samples, allowing the spectral discrimination of samples treated at different temperatures steps. These findings from the thermal experiments are further applied to Raman micro-spectroscopic mappings of medieval and reenacted mortars. The extracted Raman band parameters show comparable values between the experimental and real-life samples, proving Raman spectroscopy as a suitable tool for estimating the burning temperature and thus elucidating the manufacturing procedures of anthropogenic materials. T2 - Jahrestagung Archäometrie und Denkmalpflege 2025 CY - Dresden, Germany DA - 18.03.2025 KW - Raman spectroscopy KW - Mineral thermometry PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-62778 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Wilke, Olaf A1 - Poelke, Birte A1 - Klein, Luise A1 - Rohloff, Alexander A1 - Hoffmann, Holger T1 - Initial VOC Emissions from Consumer Products Determined in Micro-Scale Test Chambers: Results of a Round Robin Test N2 - Emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from consumer products may have a negative impact on indoor air quality, potentially also affecting human wellbeing. Since consumers may be exposed to these VOCs immediately after e.g. unwrapping of newly purchased products, reliable analytical methods are needed to determine air concentration profiles in the early phase of VOC emissions. Concerning typical sample sizes of consumer products, micro-scale test chambers (μ-chambers) were considered suitable for this purpose. In addition, compared to medium- or large-scale test chambers, μ-chambers require lower initial investment and operational costs, and offer options for emissions screenings where higher sample throughput is essential. For these reasons, a μ-chamber-based method to determine initial concentrations of VOCs emitting within the first hours of simulated product use was developed. The chamber air was frequently sampled on desorption tubes loaded with Tenax® TA, followed by quantification of emitted VOCs via thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). The method was assessed in a round robin test involving eight participating laboratories from 2 countries. Pieces of a rain poncho (sample area A: 2.01·10-4 m2) emitting cyclohexanone, phenol, 2-ethylhexanol, naphthalene and isophorone in significant concentrations were distributed as sample material. Each laboratory conducted triplicate emission tests over a period of 48 h in μ-chambers with volumes of 44 or 114 mL. The loading factors L of 4.57 m2·m-3 (44 mL) or 1.76 m2·m-3 (114 mL) and air flow rates of 24 mL·min-1 resulted in area-specific air flow rates q of 7.17 m3·m-2·h-1 in both chamber types. The temperature was set to 23°C and, if possible, relative humidity was set to approx. 50%. The chamber air was sampled after 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 24 and 48 hours. In addition, to assess the analytical performance, each participating laboratory received two analyte-spiked Tenax® TA-loaded desorption tubes for quality control (QC). Very low relative standard deviations (11–17%) were obtained for the QC test. The results of the emissions tests in the early phase (0.5–4 h) were also adequate, with acceptable z scores (|z|≤2.00) received by six to seven participating laboratories. All eight laboratories obtained acceptable z scores after the longer sampling periods (24 and 48 h). Hence, the inter-laboratory comparability of the results obtained with the developed μ-chamber method was successfully confirmed. T2 - Healthy Buildings Europe 2025 CY - Reykjavik, Iceland DA - 08.06.2025 KW - VOC Emissions KW - Consumer Product KW - Test Chamber KW - Round Robin Test PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63706 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Abad Andrade, Carlos Enrique T1 - Lithium isotope fractionation as a diagnostic tool for aging lithium-ion batteries N2 - Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are central to modern energy storage technologies, powering applications from portable electronics to electric vehicles and grid storage systems. Their popularity comes from their high energy density, efficiency, and extended cycle life. However, over time, various aging mechanisms lead to capacity loss, increased internal resistance, and, ultimately, battery failure. Understanding and predicting these aging processes is crucial for enhancing the reliability and longevity of LIBs. This necessity makes the development of advanced diagnostic tools essential. This study uses plasma-based spectrometry techniques to explore lithium isotope fractionation (LIF) as a predictive tool for monitoring LIB aging and degradation. Mass spectrometric techniques —including MC-ICP-MS, LA-ICP-MS, and MICAP-MS— were employed to analyze lithium isotopic composition in both new and aged lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) cells, including lab-made coin cells and commercial batteries. An isotopic fractionation was identified during electrochemical cycling: 6Li migrates towards the anode, while 7Li accumulates in the cathode. These isotopic patterns correlate with structural degradation, including solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) growth and crack formation, as confirmed by FIB-SEM, XANES, and EXAFS analyses. This correlation demonstrates that LIF aligns with key aging mechanisms in model coin cells and commercial batteries, such as capacity fade and impedance growth. LIF provides a powerful diagnostic tool for battery health monitoring and aging prediction by linking isotopic fractionation to structural degradation. This approach offers significant potential to extend battery lifespan and improve the reliability of energy storage systems. T2 - ANAKON 2025 CY - Leipzig, Germany DA - 10.03.2025 KW - Isotope KW - Lithium KW - Battery aging KW - Degradation KW - Fractionation KW - Battery PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63487 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Abad Andrade, Carlos Enrique T1 - Versatility of nitrogen microwave-induced plasma mass spectrometry in elemental and isotopic analysis N2 - The introduction of Nitrogen-based Microwave Inductively Coupled Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Mass Spectrometry (MICAP-MS) addresses the necessity for a plasma source that matches the capabilities of traditional argon-based Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) while exploiting the availability and cost-effectiveness of nitrogen gas. MICAP-MS uses nitrogen plasma, offering significant advantages such as reduced operational costs and eliminating specific isobaric interferences common in argon plasma systems [1]. This presentation explores the principles of MICAP-MS, highlighting its similarities to conventional ICP-MS in terms of analytical performance while emphasizing unique benefits like eliminating interferences from argon-based polyatomic species. MICAP-MS exhibits robust performance using nitrogen gas of varying purities—including ultra-high purity and industrial-grade nitrogen—without compromising analytical results [2]. We have applied MICAP-MS for multielement analysis in soil samples, serving as a proof of concept for environmental monitoring applications. The technique achieved figures of merit comparable to traditional ICP-MS, even when analyzing real-world samples with complex matrices [2]. MICAP-MS demonstrated high tolerance to high-concentration matrices, maintaining accuracy and precision without extensive sample preparation or matrix separation [3]. In clinical diagnostics, MICAP-MS was employed for the precise and traceable quantification of calcium, iron, and selenium in human serum using isotope dilution analysis [4]. These elements often face interferences in argon-based ICP-MS due to argon-associated isobaric interferences (40Ca+, 56Fe+, and 80Se+); however, MICAP-MS effectively overcomes these challenges, providing traceable and accurate determinations. The stability of the microwave plasma in MICAP-MS facilitates precise isotopic analysis. This capability investigated age-induced lithium isotope fractionation in lithium-ion batteries, offering critical insights into battery aging mechanisms and performance degradation [5]. MICAP-MS is a versatile analytical tool that combines the operational benefits of nitrogen plasma with the strengths of traditional ICP-MS. Its ability to handle complex matrices, reduce interferences, and perform precise elemental and isotopic analyses across various applications makes it a valuable instrument. T2 - European Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 02.03.2025 KW - MICAP-MS KW - Nitrogen plasma KW - Isotope dilution analysis KW - Matrix tolerance KW - Argon interference elimination KW - Trace analysis PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63485 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Schneider, Rudolf A1 - Konthur, Zoltán A1 - Jaeger, Carsten T1 - Reference Material (IgG) for CCQM-PAWG Key Comparison N2 - BAM proposes a recombinant human IgG (anti-tetanus monoclonal antibody SA13) as candidate material for the 2027 CCQM-PAWG key comparison on antibody purity. The antibody is produced via hybridoma and recombinant expression systems, with detailed sequence and glycosylation profiling. Analytical methods include MALDI-TOF-MS, SEC, DLS, and UV-vis spectroscopy to assess purity, aggregation, and stability. Preliminary results show high purity, low heterogeneity, and consistent size distribution. A minimum of 40 mg IgG is required, with 100 mg preferred for deeper characterization. Production is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, with potential for a joint technical project. T2 - Spring Meeting of CCQM-PAWG CY - Sèvres, France DA - 06.04.2025 KW - Antibodies KW - Research Grade Test Material KW - Mass spectrometry KW - Affinity PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63503 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Engelhard, Carsten T1 - On ICP-MS with Nanosecond Time Resolution: From Nanoparticles to Microplastics N2 - In this presentation, recent developments in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) instrumentation for particle characterization in complex mixtures will be reviewed. The current state-of-the-art in single-particle (sp) ICP-MS instrumentation for the detection and characterization of nanoparticles (NP) and microplastics (MPs) as well as remaining challenges will be discussed. While millisecond dwell times were used in the advent of spICP-MS, the use of microsecond dwell times helped to improve nanoparticle data quality and particle size detection limits. We could show that a custom-built high-speed data acquisition unit with microsecond time resolution (μsDAQ) can be used to successfully address issues of split-particle events and particle coincidence, to study the temporal profile of individual ion clouds, and to extend the linear dynamic range by compensating for dead time related count losses. Our latest development is an in-house built data acquisition system with nanosecond time resolution (nanoDAQ). Recording of the SEM signal by the nanoDAQ is performed on the nanosecond time scale with a dwell time of approximately 2 ns and enables detection of gold nanoparticles (AuNP) as small as 7.5 nm with a commercial single quadrupole ICP-MS instrument. [1] Analysis of acquired transient data is based on the temporal distance between detector events and a derived ion event density. It was shown that the inverse logarithm of the distance between detector events is proportional to particle size. Also, the number of detector events per particle can be used to calibrate and determine the particle number concentration (PNC) of a nanoparticle dispersion. In addition to inorganic nanoparticles, first results on the detection of microplastics with spICP-MS will be discussed. T2 - ANAKON 2025 CY - Leipzig, Germany DA - 10.03.2025 KW - Nano KW - Microplastics KW - Nanoparticle Characterization KW - ICP-MS KW - Instrumentation PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63580 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -