Reproducibility of pyrolysis-mass spectrometry using three different pyrolysis systems

Abstract

A study has been made into some of the factors that affect the reproducibility of pyrolysis-mass spectrometry. Three separate pyrolysis systems were examined and three sample types, a simple system of easily pyrolysable polymers, an acrylic paint and an alkyd paint, were employed in order to cover a range of ease of sample pyrolysis. These samples were also examined by pyrolysis-gas chromatography.

The reproducibility of the pyrolysis-mass spectrometry system was found to vary according to sample type. The source of irreproducibility was identified as the pyrolysis process and not the mass spectrometric detection.