massanalüüsi

Massanalüüs, often translated as mass analysis or mass spectrometry, is an analytical technique used to determine the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. This technique is invaluable in various scientific fields, including chemistry, physics, biology, and environmental science. The fundamental principle involves ionizing a sample, separating the resulting ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio, and then detecting them.

The process typically begins with sample ionization, which can be achieved through various methods such as electron ionization (EI), chemical ionization (CI), or electrospray ionization (ESI). Once ionized, the ions are accelerated into a mass analyzer, which employs electric and/or magnetic fields to separate them. Common types of mass analyzers include quadrupole, time-of-flight (TOF), and magnetic sector analyzers. Finally, a detector registers the abundance of ions at each mass-to-charge ratio, generating a mass spectrum. This spectrum is a plot of ion abundance versus mass-to-charge ratio, providing a unique fingerprint of the analyzed substance. Massanalüüs can identify unknown compounds, quantify known compounds, and elucidate the structure of molecules. Its sensitivity and specificity make it a powerful tool for research and routine analysis.