Instrumental Analysis Experiment: Direct Surface Analysis of Personal Protective Equipment

An advanced instrumental analysis experiment was designed for senior undergraduate and first-year graduate students for the evaluation of surface compositions of personal protective equipment (PPE), with attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and direct analysis in real time high-resolution mass spectrometry (DART-HRMS). Both techniques are capable of analyzing surfaces in seconds without sampling or sample pretreatments. Students performed direct tests on common PPE products such as facial masks, gloves, and protective clothing fabrics. ATR-FTIR obtained structural characteristics of the polymeric materials, and DART-MS detected additives and residual chemicals including toxic and hazards substances. Different PPE samples showed distinctive spectroscopic profiles in both ATR-FTIR and DART-HRMS. Multivariate data analysis was implemented to demonstrate the differences among the PPE groups. Through this experiment, students can better understand the unique features of different advanced level instruments, improve their capability for in-depth data analysis, and cultivate their ability to critically evaluate the different aspects of chemicals used in real life.