massispektroskoopia

Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. It is a powerful tool used in many scientific fields, including chemistry, biology, and physics. The fundamental principle involves ionizing a sample, separating these ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio, and then detecting them. The resulting data is presented as a mass spectrum, which plots the abundance of ions against their mass-to-charge ratio. This spectrum provides a unique "fingerprint" of the sample, allowing for identification of unknown compounds, determination of isotopic composition, and elucidation of molecular structure. 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. Similarly, various mass analyzers, including quadrupole, time-of-flight (TOF), and magnetic sector, are employed to separate ions. The sensitivity and resolving power of mass spectrometry make it indispensable for applications ranging from drug discovery and environmental monitoring to forensic analysis and proteomics.