Humana Press eBooks · 2003 · 44 citations · 2 references
Natural SciencesBiochemistryChemistryAnalytical ChemistryMass Spectrometric AnalysisSpectroscopyInstrumental AnalysisIonization TechniquesMass SpectrometryMass Spectrometry Data AnalysisSmall Molecule AnalysisStructural ElucidationIonizationMass Spectral FragmentationMass Spectrometric Structural ElucidationMass Spectrometric Structure ElucidationMolecular Structure DeterminationStructural DeterminationTandem Mass SpectrometryThermal Decomposition
Series coupling of mass spectrometers offers a powerful technique for analyzing specific organic compounds within complex mixtures. The targeted compound is selectively ionized, its characteristic ions are separated in the first mass spectrometer, then the primary ions are fragmented by collision, and the final mass analyzer selects secondary ions characteristic of the target. Tandem mass spectrometry achieves picogram sensitivity and high specificity comparable to radioimmunoassay and GC/MS, while delivering much faster analyses.
Coupling mass spectrometers in series provides a new technique that has many advantages for the analysis of specific organic compounds in complex mixtures. Sensitivity to picograms of targeted compounds can be achieved with high specificity and nearly instantaneous response. The targeted compound is selectively ionized, and its characteristic ions are separated from most others of the mixture in the first mass spectrometer. The selected primary ions are then decomposed by collision, and from the resulting products the final mass analyzer selects secondary ions characteristic of the targeted compound. Tandem mass spectrometry can achieve specificities and sensitivities equivalent to those of methods such as radioimmunoassay and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, while performing analyses in much shorter times.
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Electrospray ionization–principles and practice
John B. Fenn, Matthias Mann, Chin Kai Meng et al. · Mass Spectrometry Reviews · 1990 · 1.5K citations