MASSALYA is an instrumental platform of Aix Marseille University dedicated to the high temporal resolution analysis of submicron particles and volatile organic compounds present in indoor and outdoor atmospheres. Complementary to the tools available to air quality monitoring networks (AtmoSud), this laboratory truck (< 3.5 T) is equipped with state-of-the-art analyzers (PTR-ToF-MS, HR-ToF-AMS, TAG...). The equipment can be easily removed from the truck to be placed inside buildings and in confined atmospheres.
The MASSALYA laboratory truck relies on the scientific and technical expertise of the Atmospheric Instrumentation and Reactivity (IRA) team. Studies requested by the platform's partners (research laboratories, industries, and local authorities...) can be organized and implemented in consultation with the IRA team, which can, if necessary, deploy additional experimental resources to conduct complementary analyses.
DESCRIPTION OF EQUIPMENT
The equipment of the MASSALYA platform allows for the physical and chemical characterization of aerosols and precursor volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This characterization is done in real-time to study the phenomena of formation or evolution of atmospheric contamination on time scales of the order of minutes.
Platform Equipment:
- PTR-ToF-MS (Proton Transfer Reaction-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometer) for the analysis of precursor VOCs. This instrument allows the simultaneous analysis of a very large number of VOCs with a sensitivity of a few ppt and a temporal resolution that can be reduced to a few seconds in certain environments. It is equipped with the SRI (Selective Reagent Ionization) module, which extends ionization modes to O2+ and NO+ (H3O+ by default), and a fast GC system [+details]
- HR-ToF-AMS (High Resolution-Time of Flight-Aerosol Mass Spectrometer, Aerodyne Research Inc.) for the organic and inorganic analysis of aerosols. This instrument allows for the quantitative chemical analysis of particles with diameters between 30 nm and ~1 µm. [+details]
A new online derivatization system using a helium flow saturated with MSTFA extends the analysis to very polar compounds such as secondary compounds of biogenic or anthropogenic origin or organic markers from biomass combustion (levoglucosan, manosan, methoxy phenols). The online derivatization module is the result of collaborative work between Aerosol Dynamics Inc. and the group of Pr. Allen Goldstein (Univ Berkeley, CA) and LCE.
- LAAPToF (Laser Ablation Aerosol Particle Time-of-Flight) for the qualitative analysis of aerosols on a particle-by-particle basis. It can analyze aerosol particles in the range of 70 nm to 2500 nm and provides information on both particle size and chemical signature. The LAAPToF is an instrument of the national platform NaNO-ID.
- MAAP 5012 (Multi Angle Absorption Photometer) for the analysis of black carbon. The MAAP is an optical analyzer combining transmissometry and reflectometry. Several detectors measure both the transmitted and scattered radiation by the aerosol collected on a rolling filter.
- SMPS (Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer) providing access to the size distribution of submicron aerosols. [+details]
- Ozone (O3) analyzer.
- NOx (NO, NO2) analyzer. Chemiluminescence detection is an extremely selective method for precisely measuring nitrogen oxides, with high linearity over a wide range of concentrations and excellent reproducibility. The MASSALYA platform's analyzers (CLD88P and PLC860) are particularly suitable for low concentrations of NOx.
- Weather station (wind direction and speed, temperature, HR).
USAGE POLICY
Usage Costs
