MSspektroskopiaa

MSspektroskopiaa refers to mass spectrometry, a powerful analytical technique used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. This technique is employed to identify unknown compounds, quantify known compounds, and elucidate the structure of molecules. The fundamental principle involves ionizing a sample, separating the resulting ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio, and then detecting them. Different ionization methods exist, such as electron ionization (EI), electrospray ionization (ESI), and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI), each suited for different types of samples. Following ionization, ions are accelerated into a mass analyzer, which can be a magnetic sector, quadrupole, time-of-flight (TOF), or ion trap. The separated ions are then detected, generating a mass spectrum that displays the relative abundance of each ion as a function of its mass-to-charge ratio. This spectrum acts as a fingerprint for the analyzed substance. Mass spectrometry finds widespread applications in various fields, including organic chemistry, biochemistry, environmental analysis, pharmaceuticals, and forensics, due to its high sensitivity, specificity, and versatility.