LC - MS

LC-MS is one of the most advanced techniques available for the detection of Organic compounds. The LC-MS effluent enters an ionization chamber via a nebulizer. Ionization is provided by several techniques (e.g. electrospray, thermo spray, chemical, and fast atom bombardment) Fragmentation takes place in a collision chamber, and fragments then enter the high vacuum region of the MS where detection takes place. Several set-ups now exist for optimized quantitation and/or identification. Ion trap instruments are generally better suited for identification than triple quadrupole instruments (higher MSn power), whereas triple quadrupole instruments provide better information for quantification (faster scanning, higher sensitivity). Hybrid instruments exist that provide a linear ion trap in a triple quad instrument in an attempt to make the best of both setups.