mass spectroscopy

mass spectroscopy A technique used to determine relative atomic masses and the relative abundance of isotopes and for chemical analysis, as in the identification of metabolites, drugs, and other molecules isolated from biological samples. In a mass spectrometer a sample (usually gaseous) is ionized and the positive ions produced are accelerated into a high-vacuum region containing electric and magnetic fields. These fields deflect and focus the ions onto a detector. The fields can be varied in a controlled way so that ions of different types can impinge on the detector. A mass spectrum is thus obtained consisting of a series of peaks of variable intensity to which mass/charge (m/e) values can be assigned. For organic molecules, the mass spectrum consists of a series of peaks, one corresponding to the parent ion and the others to fragment ions produced by the ionization process. Different molecules can be identified by their characteristic pattern of lines. Analysis of mixtures can be done by gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (see gas–liquid chromatography).