Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry and Mass Spectrometry_Part 2

• Mass spectrometry; Mass-to-charge ratio (m/z); Ionization; Mass analyzer; Mass spectrum

2: Mass Spectrometry: Mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful analytical technique used to identify and quantify compounds based on their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). A mass spectrometer consists of three main components: an ion source, mass analyzer, and detector. Samples are ionized, separated by m/z, and detected to produce a mass spectrum. Common ionization methods include ESI, APCI, and EI, while widely used mass analyzers include Quadrupole, and TO. Coupling MS with chromatographic techniques such as GC-MS and LC-MS/MS enables highly sensitive and selective analysis of complex samples. Mass spectrometry is extensively used in forensic toxicology, pesticide analysis, pharmaceuticals, proteomics, and environmental monitoring.