Mass Spectrometry Process

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Mass Spectrometry
- 1. Vaporisation
  - Sample turned into a gas using an electric heater
- 2. Ionisation
  - Electrons knocked off to form positive ions
    - Most have charge of +1, as it is much harder to remove second electron
  - Gas particles bombarded with high energy electrons
- 3. Acceleration
  - Positive ions accelerated using an electric field
- 4. Deflection
  - Positive ions pass through magnetic field
  - Paths alter depending on m/z ratio
  - For a particular magnetic field, only ions with a particular m/z ratio reach detector
- 5. Detection
  - Magnetic field strength gradually increased. Ions with higher m/z ratio reach detector
  - Ions hit detector - current induced is proportional to abundance of ions with m/z ratio
  - Electrons transferred from the detector to the + ion, causing current to flow
2. Ionisation
- Electrons knocked off to form positive ions
  - Most have charge of +1, as it is much harder to remove second electron
- Gas particles bombarded with high energy electrons

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