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Volume 13
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Fast Trace Detection of Chlorpyrifos Vapors Using a Handheld Ion Mobility Spectrometer Operated near Ambient Temperature

by
Victor Bocoș-Bințințan
1,2,*,†,
Ancuța-Maria Dodea
1,†,
Tomáš Rozsypal
3,
Adrian Pătruț
4,5,
Gheorghe Roșian
1,
Aurel-Vasile Martiniuc
2,
Alin-Gabriel Moraru
1,
Simina Vasc
1 and
Maria-Paula Bocoș-Bințințan
6,*
1
Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Babeș-Bolyai University, Str. Fântânele 30, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
2
SC Transcend SRL, Str. Arinilor 13, 400568 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
3
Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence Institute, University of Defence, Vita Nejedleho 1, 68203 Vyskov, Czech Republic
4
Faculty of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Babeș-Bolyai University, Str. Arany János 11, 400028 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
5
Raluca Ripan Institute for Research in Chemistry, Babeș-Bolyai University, Str. Fântânele 30, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
6
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Calea Mănăştur 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Toxics 2025, 13(10), 843; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13100843
Submission received: 15 September 2025 / Revised: 29 September 2025 / Accepted: 1 October 2025 / Published: 2 October 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Agrochemicals and Food Toxicology)
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Abstract

Chlorpyrifos CPF (O,O-diethyl O-(3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl) phosphorothioate), known also as Chlorpyrifos-ethyl, is one of the most utilized organophosphorus pesticides worldwide. Additionally, CPF could be used as a chemical warfare agent surrogate. Although its acute toxicity is not high, it is responsible for both a large number of intoxications and chronic, delayed neurological effects. In this work, it is reported for the first time the qualitative and quantitative response produced by CPF vapors, using a pocket-held Time-of-Flight Ion Mobility Spectrometer (ToF IMS) with a non-radioactive ionization source and ammonia doping, model LCD-3.2E (Smiths Detection Ltd.), operated near ambient temperature (below 30 °C). Spectra of CPF in positive ion mode included two distinct product ion peaks; thus, identification of CPF vapors by IMS relies on these peaks—the monomer M·NH4+ with reduced ion mobility K0 = ca. 1.76 cm2V−1s−1 and the dimer M2·NH4+ with K0 = ca. 1.47 cm2V−1s−1 (where M may be assignable to CPF molecule)—and positive reactant ions (Pos RIP) have K0 = ca. 2.25 cm2V−1s−1. Excellent sensitivity, with a limit of detection LOD of 0.72 ppbv (10.5 μg m−3) and a limit of quantification LOQ of 2.41 ppbv (35.1 μg m−3), has been noticed; linear response was up to 100 ppbv, while saturation occurs over ca. 1000 ppbv (14.6 mg m−3). Our results demonstrate that this method provides a robust tool for both off-site and on-site detecting and quantifying CPF vapors at trace levels, which has strong implications for either industrial hygiene or forensic investigations concerning the pesticide Chlorpyrifos, as well as for monitoring of environmental contamination by organophosphorus pesticides.
Keywords: chlorpyrifos; ion mobility spectrometry; trace detection; organophosphorus pesticides chlorpyrifos; ion mobility spectrometry; trace detection; organophosphorus pesticides
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MDPI and ACS Style

Bocoș-Bințințan, V.; Dodea, A.-M.; Rozsypal, T.; Pătruț, A.; Roșian, G.; Martiniuc, A.-V.; Moraru, A.-G.; Vasc, S.; Bocoș-Bințințan, M.-P. Fast Trace Detection of Chlorpyrifos Vapors Using a Handheld Ion Mobility Spectrometer Operated near Ambient Temperature. Toxics 2025, 13, 843. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13100843

AMA Style

Bocoș-Bințințan V, Dodea A-M, Rozsypal T, Pătruț A, Roșian G, Martiniuc A-V, Moraru A-G, Vasc S, Bocoș-Bințințan M-P. Fast Trace Detection of Chlorpyrifos Vapors Using a Handheld Ion Mobility Spectrometer Operated near Ambient Temperature. Toxics. 2025; 13(10):843. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13100843

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bocoș-Bințințan, Victor, Ancuța-Maria Dodea, Tomáš Rozsypal, Adrian Pătruț, Gheorghe Roșian, Aurel-Vasile Martiniuc, Alin-Gabriel Moraru, Simina Vasc, and Maria-Paula Bocoș-Bințințan. 2025. "Fast Trace Detection of Chlorpyrifos Vapors Using a Handheld Ion Mobility Spectrometer Operated near Ambient Temperature" Toxics 13, no. 10: 843. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13100843

APA Style

Bocoș-Bințințan, V., Dodea, A.-M., Rozsypal, T., Pătruț, A., Roșian, G., Martiniuc, A.-V., Moraru, A.-G., Vasc, S., & Bocoș-Bințințan, M.-P. (2025). Fast Trace Detection of Chlorpyrifos Vapors Using a Handheld Ion Mobility Spectrometer Operated near Ambient Temperature. Toxics, 13(10), 843. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13100843

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