The identification of Al nanoclusters by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS)

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2021-02, Vol.754, p.142154-142154, Article 142154
• Main Authors: Tian, Chenhao, Feng, Chenghong, Wang, Qixuan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Al13 nanocluster; ESI-MS; Identification; Methodology; Quantitative analysis
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142154

Lacking consolidated qualitative and quantitative analysis methods of Al nanoclusters in aqueous, the distributions and concentrations of each Al species could not be revealed with single method before or after coagulation, which limited the development of environmental Al clusters control. As the ESI-MS applied in the inorganic cluster's identification tentatively, the deficient identification of Al species could be analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively with mass spectrum directly. Although many studies have applied the ESI-MS to analyze Al species in aqueous, the experimental conditions were not compared and not reached an agreement. Therefore, this work is the first study to review the methodology developments of ESI-MS in Al identification and to summarize the qualitative and quantitative analysis promoted by ESI-MS. The principle and rationality of quantitative ESI-MS method were inducted and discussed from the prospects of resolving mass spectrum assignment and transforming species in ionization. The qualitative ESI-MS results in previous studies were also analyzed by quantitative ESI-MS analysis in this work. The quantitative Al species results are accordant with the distribution results concluded via Al-Ferron and 27Al NMR methods. The identification principles and instrumental parameters were summarized and unified, which would give hints to further methodological applications and modifications. This study puts forward the further possibilities and prospects of ESI-MS applied in the transformation and in-situ identification of Al13 nanocluster in aqueous. [Display omitted] •This paper firstly reviewed Al species identification from ESI-MS methodological perspective.•The accuracy of ESI-MS quantitative method was compared with that of traditional methods.•ESI-MS is proved better than other methods in the identification of trace Al species.