Chapters 11 & 20: Mass Spectrometry Flashcards
Overview of Mass Spectrometry
What is the analytical technique that produces, separates, and detects ions in the gas phase?
Mass Spectrometry
Overview of Mass Spectrometry
What analytical technique is powerful and widely applicable available for both qualitative and quantitative analysis?
Mass Spectrometry
Overview of Mass Spectrometry
Mass spectrometry can determine what?
1) isotopic ratios of atoms in a sample
2) composition of mixture
3) elemental composition of samples
4) structures of inorganic, organic, and biological molecules
5) structure and composition of solid surface
ICESS
Components of a Typical Mass Spectrometer
What are the components of a typical mass spectrometer?
- The inlet system introduces a very small amount of sample (<micromole) into the
mass spectrometer. - The ion source convert the components of a sample into ions where the output is
a stream of positive or negative ions, which are accelerated into the mass analyzer. - The mass analyzer separates ions based on their mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios.
- The detector converts beams of ions into an electrical signal.
- The Vacuum system is required to create low pressures to minimize collisions of
ions with atmospheric particles (increase mean free path of the ions).
IIMDV
Components: Inlet Systems
What is the purpose of the inlet system?
The purpose of the inlet systems is to permit theintroduction of a representative sample into the ion source with minimal loss of vacuum.
Components: Inlet Systems
Most modern instruments have several types of inlets including?
- batch inlets
- direct probe inlets
- flow, chromatographic, capillary electrophoretic inlets
BDFCC
Inlet Systems: Batch Inlet Systems
Give the details of batch inlet systems.
- Simplest and most conventional inlet system.
- Used for volatile liquid (up to 500°C) and gaseous samples.
- Sample is volatized externally in the batch inlet system and subsequently allowed to leak
through a metal/glass pinhole into the evacuated ionization region.
Inlet Systems: Batch Inlet Systems
What are the limitations of batch inlet systems?
Not useful for thermally unstable compounds and samples must be a gas when
entering the ionization region.
Inlet Systems: Direct Probe Inlet
Give the details of direct probe inlet.
- Solid and nonvolatile liquids are introduced into the ionization zone via a sample
holder/probe. - Lock system is designed to minimize the volume of air that must be pumped from the
system after insertion of the probe. - The sample is typically held by a glass or aluminum capillary tube, fine wire, or cap probe that is positioned within a few millimeters of the ionization source.
Inlet Systems: Direct Probe Inlet
What are the benefits of direct probe inlets?
Excels with thermally unstable compounds.
Ion Sources Classification
Ion sources are classified as being what?
Hard or soft sources
Ion Sources are Also Classified as Being HARD or SOFT Sources
Hard sources do what?
Hard sources impart enough energy to analyte molecules to leave them in highly excited energy state. Relaxation of the molecules results in rupture of the bonds,
producing fragment ions that have mass to charge ratios less than that of the molecular ion.
Ion Sources are Also Classified as Being HARD or SOFT Sources
Hard sources provide what types of information?
Hard sources provide information
about functional groups and
structural information.
Ion Sources are Also Classified as Being HARD or SOFT Sources
Limitations of hard sources.
Hard sources are not utilized for
mixtures.
Ion Sources are Also Classified as Being HARD or SOFT Sources
Provide details on soft sources.
Soft sources cause little fragmentation and often consist of the molecular ion.
Ion Sources are Also Classified as Being HARD or SOFT Sources
Soft sources provide what types of information?
Soft sources provide information
about the molecular mass of the
analyte.
Ion Sources are Also Classified as Being HARD or SOFT Sources
What are the benefits of soft sources?
Soft sources are useful for
mixture analysis.
Ion Sources: Electron-Impact Source
Provide details on electron-impact source.
- Sample is brought to a temperature to produce a molecular vapor, which is then ionized by bombarding the resulting molecules with a beam of energetic electrons.
- Electrostatic repulsions of the electron beam impacting the analyte molecule (M) produces
electrons and the molecular ion: M + e - → M *+ + 2e - - Ions produced are accelerated to the mass analyzer by applying a potential to a series of
accelerating plates.
Ion Sources: Electron-Impact Source
Limitations of electronn-impact source.
Only one molecule in a million undergoes this reaction.
Ion Sources: Electron-Impact Source
What are the types of ions peaks produced by electron impact sources?
- Isotope peaks have the same chemical formula but different isotope compositions. The relative intensities of the peaks correspond to the natural abundance of the isotopes.
- Base peaks are ion fragments of the analyte.
- Molecular ions (M + ) corresponds to the molar mass of the analyte.
Ion Sources: Electron-Impact Source
What are the advantages of electron-impact sources?
- Convenient to use
- Produce high ions currents (high
sensitivity) - Extensive fragmentation enables
identification of analytes
Ion Sources: Electron-Impact Source
What are the disadvantages of electron-impact sources?
- Disappearance of molecular ion
peak so molar mass determination
is challenging - Sample needs to be volatized
(thermal decomposition) - Only useful for molar masses
smaller than 10^3 Da
Ion Sources: Chemical Ionization Sources
Provide details of chemical ionization sources
Most modern instruments can carry out both electron
impact and chemical ionization interchangeably.
Chemical ionization is softer than electron impact.