A small, light and portable sensor for detecting and quantifying a harmful high molecular weight substance present in a sample gas in trace amounts is herein disclosed. In the sensor, light and heavy ions are formed by ionizing molecules of the sample gas components in an ionization region. The heavy ions are formed through an ion-molecule reaction. The passage of ions through an ion-passage control region is controlled by directly or indirectly controlling the electric field established between a central electrode and a counter electrode The ions which pass through the control region are collected on a collector electrode. The high molecular weight substance is detected and quantified on the basis of the output from the collector electrode.
