Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are ubiquitous within the Earth’s troposphere, being released both locally and globally from anthropogenic and biogenic sources. VOCs constitute an important class of reactive trace species responsible for the production and exacerbation of numerous documented atmospheric issues, including photochemical production of ozone and formation of Secondary Organic Serosol (SOA). Consequently, measurement of VOCs under both ambient and laboratory conditions is crucial, such that emissions controls may be affected, environment response may be monitored and scientific understanding of the atmosphere may be advanced. Working for Professors Andy Ellis and Paul Monks at the University of Leicester, Dr Wyche was involved in the development of a novel technique for ‘real-time’ detection of atmospheric VOCs, known as Chemical Ionisation Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (CIR-TOF-MS). CIR-TOF-MS employs analyte ionisation by ion-molecule interaction under defined reaction conditions, followed by TOF mass spectrometric analysis. Using reagent ions such as H3O+, NH4+, NO+ and O2+•, CIR-TOF-MS was first developed for atmospheric and air quality monitoring, but has since been used for the on-line detection of gaseous VOCs for a range of applications, including medical diagnostics, forensic science, defence and security and the food and drink industry to name but a few.
