Selected ion flow tube, SIFT, studies of the reactions of H3,O+ NO+ and O2+ with compounds released by Pseudomonas and related bacteria

A selected ion flow tube. SIFT. study has been carried out of the reactions of H3O+, NO+ and O-2(+) with some volatile organic compounds that are released by bacteria. The major intention is to prepare the way for an extensive study of the emissions from Pseudomonas bacteria in vitro using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS, with a view to detecting the presence of these bacteria in vivo. This requires an extensive SIFT-MS database of the rate coefficients and product ion distributions for the reactions of the above precursor ions with those molecular species that are released by or implicated in the growth of bacteria. A partial list of these molecular species is given. The available SIFT-MS database already includes the kinetic data for the reactions of several of these compounds and the present study supplements this to include 2-methyl-1-butanol and 2-heptanol, 3-methyl-1-butyl acetate, 4-methyl-1,3-pentadiene, and dimethyl trisulphide and dimethyl tetrasulphide. The kinetic data obtained in the present study are compared with those obtained previously for classes of similar compounds. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.