Mass Spectrometry for Groundwater Studies

• Real-time detection of transient events during groundwater sampling and monitoring
• < 1 minute measurement of dissolved tracer gases (e.g., He, Ar, CH4)
• Tracer gases support interpretation of groundwater age, recharge elevation, and flow paths
• Superior sensitivity and selectivity for confident trace-gas measurement
• Throughput gains reported for large-scale groundwater studies
• DAkkS-accredited N2/Ar method for excess N2 measurement in groundwater monitoring

Mass spectrometry supports rapid dissolved gas analysis in groundwater programmes where time-to-result, sample integrity, and changing site conditions matter. This approach aligns with broader Gas Analysis workflows used for environmental monitoring and research measurement.

Key dissolved gas tracers for groundwater studies

Dissolved gases are used as tracers because they help link measured concentrations to recharge conditions and subsurface transport behaviour.

Noble gases

Dissolved noble gases such as helium (He) and argon (Ar) are widely used as tracer gases within groundwater investigations.

Reactive gases

Reactive gases such as methane (CH4) support groundwater quality monitoring and geo-environmental investigations where gas occurrence and variability are important.

Superior sensitivity and selectivity

Superior sensitivity and selectivity support confident detection and quantification of dissolved tracer gases in groundwater, including low-concentration species used in monitoring and hydrogeology.

Throughput gains for large-scale groundwater studies

High-throughput workflows can drastically reduce the long-term operational effort of large-scale studies. Research teams have reported completing groundwater projects in two weeks that would have taken six years using traditional lab-based methods.

Hiden Analytical supports waterworks, environmental authorities, and research institutions in implementing MIMS technology within existing and new monitoring concepts. The aim is to make denitrification processes quantitatively measurable, comparable, and assessable over the long term.

The MIMS method has been officially recognised by DAkkS within the accredited scope of one of our customers in Germany, and is used as a reference method nationally. This recognition highlights the method’s practical relevance and growing importance for monitoring programmes.

Green chemistry and remote operation

Field-portable mass spectrometry can reduce resource consumption by avoiding chemical reagents and sample preservatives. Solar-powered battery pack operation can also support longer-term remote site operation for groundwater monitoring programmes and field campaigns.

Hiden Analytical manufactures both portable and lab-based compact bench-top mass spectrometer solutions for groundwater studies—supporting field measurements and laboratory workflows. Typical workflows include field measurement for rapid turnaround, lab measurement for controlled routine analysis, or combined approaches depending on study scale and reporting needs.

• Portable solution: pQA – Portable Quadrupole Analyser
• Bench-top solution: HPR-40 MIMS
• Related range: Dissolved Gas Analysis systems

Request further information to discuss your groundwater gas analysis requirements, target tracer gases (e.g., He/Ar/CH4, N2/Ar), and preferred field or lab workflow.