🔬 Mass Spectrometer
The mass spectrometer is an analytical instrument used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio ($m/z$) of ions, effectively determining the elemental composition and molecular structure of a sample. The device operates by ionizing a sample, separating the resulting ions based on their $m/z$ ratio, and then detecting them.
The resulting mass spectrum provides a chemical fingerprint that is unique to the analyzed compound, making it an indispensable tool across many scientific disciplines, from chemistry to environmental science.Its operational principle relies on three core components: an ion source to convert neutral molecules into charged ions, a mass analyzer (like a quadrupole, time-of-flight (TOF), or ion trap) to sort the ions, and a detector to record the ion abundance. Advances in coupling techniques, such as linking mass spectrometry with chromatography (LC-MS or GC-MS), have dramatically enhanced its capability to separate complex mixtures and identify trace components in biological and non-biological samples with unparalleled sensitivity and selectivity.In the life sciences, mass spectrometry is fundamental to proteomics—the large-scale study of proteins—and metabolomics, enabling the rapid identification and quantification of thousands of molecules in a single biological specimen. Its role in drug discovery, quality control of pharmaceuticals, and clinical diagnostics (for biomarker identification) is continually expanding. The instrument's precision and ability to handle minute sample sizes cement its position as a cornerstone of modern analytical chemistry.