Electrochemistry online coupling with MS for Fleeting Intermediates Detection

• Grant number: 19/14815-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: October 01, 2019
• End date: September 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Thiago Regis Longo Cesar da Paixão
• Grantee: Tatiana Casselli Penna
• Supervisor: Richard Neil Zare
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Stanford University, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 17/20262-0 - Unraveling electrochemical reaction intermediates by mass spectrometry coupled to ion vibrational spectroscopy, BP.PD

Abstract

This project aims to develop a reliable and simple strategy to couple electrochemical cell to the mass spectrometer focusing on detecting intermediates with short life times. Therefore, prior strategies developed at Stanford University will be further explored. The development of EC/MS devices will focus on two different setups based on Desorption Electrospray Ionization and on a droplet-scale electrochemistry device based in Droplet Spray Ionization. The first strategy has shown good stability over long periods of time, but is a more complicated device to assemble. The second is a simpler straightforward device to be setup, but its duration is limited by the solvent evaporation from the droplets. The EC/MS device will be then used to analyze the electrochemical reaction of pesticides like pirimicarb and propoxur to unravel its mechanisms.