Mass spectrometry carbon black

Kramer, R. W., Kujawinski, E. B., and Hatcher, P. G. (2004). Identification of black carbon derived structures in a volcanic ash soil humic acid by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Environ. Sci. Technol. 38, 3387-3395. 

When hydrocarbons are not completely incinerated, carbon black is obtained. Under suitable conditions this may contain not only particles of classical soot, but also fullerenes. The trace existence of fullerenes in lamp black was first proven by mass spectrometry, but after working out appropriate protocols for the reaction, smoking flames can by now be used for the production of weighable amounts. Benzene is the most common source of carbon for this process. It is mixed with oxygen and argon and burned in a laminar flame (Figure 2.18). The resulting mixture contains soot, polycychc aromatic compounds and a certain fraction of fullerenes that make up 0.003-9.0% of the soot s total mass. Other hydrocarbons like, for example, toluene or methane may be employed as well. 

---