Abstract: Method and apparatus for the detection and quantitation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) utilizing sample preparation by treatment with predetermined quantities of sulfuric acid and lower alkane, in which the alkane--extracted phase is subjected to chromatographic separation of PCB components (116) and electron capture detection of the separated PCB components (118), and in which the detector response is analyzed by pattern recognition comparison (316) for determination and quantitation of PCB's presented in the sample with stored data for standard PCB mixtures.

Abstract: In a method for removing an organic contaminant from process waters, the contaminant is extracted from the water in a countercurrent extractor by a low-boiling water-immiscible solvent. The solvent extract is sparged with an inert gas to vaporize the solvent, and the raffinate is sparged with an inert gas to vaporize any dissolved solvent therefrom. Solvent is condensed from the vapors and returned to the extractor.

Abstract: A method has been devised whereby material is removed from a solid surface and ionized to produce singly charged monatomic ions representative of the surface. A sample of the material (or surface) is mounted in place of the repeller electrode of an ion source, biased negatively with respect to the source's block and sputtered with argon ions. Some of the sputtered sample material is ionized by charge exchange with the argon ions near the ion source's exit slit and accelerated into a mass analyzer. An electron beam is used to ionize the argon sputtering gas. This method provides an advantage in that the initial kinetic energy spread of the monatomic ions is much lower than with other methods.To perform this method, the solid sample is mounted upon a removable probe which is introduced into the ion source or ion chamber of a mass spectrometer. More specifically, the sample is placed in a recessed cavity in the end of the probe located opposite the exit slit of the ion chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an analytical apparatus comprising a gas chromatograph, a mass spectrometer, and an interface connecting the two. The mass spectrometer comprises a variable energy ion beam source, a magnetic sector of substantially fixed magnetic field for deflecting the ions in the ion beam according to their momentum, and a detector for detecting those ions within the ion beams which have been deflected by a given angle by the magnetic sector. The variable energy ion source comprises a repeller electrode, a first low energy alignment electrode coacting with the repeller electrode to define an ion-forming region, an inlet means for introducing gas into the ion-forming region, means for forming an electron beam in the ion-forming region, a second high energy alignment electrode, and an entrance electrode separating the ion beam source from the magnetic sector.