tandemmassspektromeetria

Tandem mass spectrometry, often abbreviated as MS/MS or 2D-MS, is an analytical technique that involves performing two stages of mass analysis on a single molecule. In the first stage, ions are generated and separated based on their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). These selected ions, known as precursor ions, are then subjected to a process that causes them to fragment. This fragmentation can be induced by various methods, such as collision-induced dissociation (CID), where the ions collide with an inert gas. In the second stage of mass analysis, the resulting fragment ions, or product ions, are then separated and detected, again based on their m/z. The resulting spectrum displays the abundance of fragment ions as a function of their m/z. Tandem mass spectrometry is a powerful tool for structural elucidation of molecules, as the fragmentation patterns provide information about the molecule's structure. It is widely used in fields such as proteomics, drug discovery, environmental analysis, and clinical diagnostics for identifying and quantifying specific compounds within complex mixtures.