General principles

Mass spectrometry involves the creation of new bodies, as its operating principle requires the production of charged particles from neutral entities. These can be simple molecules, chemical compounds or even salts combining anion and cation. In this context, ionization takes place prior to determination of the mass-to-charge number ratio (m/z ) of the ions formed. The creation of ions thus constitutes a step in the irreversible chemical modification of bodies introduced into the analysis device. Mass spectrometry should therefore be considered as a method of analysis involving chemical reactivity in addition to physical measurements, because it involves a stage of ion production prior to separation and measurement of the m/z ratio. This need to consider the chemical reactivity of analyzed entities can be extended to other parts of a mass spectrometer beyond the ion production source, when...