GC-LC MS/Gas and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful qualitative and quantitative analytical technique based on the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) of ions generated from a sample. Mass spectrometers typically consist of an ionization source, an analyzer, and a detector. Mass analyzers can also be combined to form tandem mass spectrometers (MS/MS) enhancing more the capabilities of the technique.

The coupling of MS with the powerful separation capabilities of gas chromatography (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography (LC-MS) led to their widespread applications in various scientific fields i.e. chemistry, environment, and medicine, among others. Electron impact ionization (EI) is by far the most used ionization method in GC-MS, in which energetic electrons interact with gas-phase molecules to produce ions, M⁺. This technique is particularly useful for the detection of volatile and thermostable compounds.

In LC-MS, electrospray (ESI) and Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) are commonly used ionization methods. In ESI, charged ions of molecules are produced using an electrospray, whereas APCI makes use of ion-molecule reactions that take place at atmospheric pressure. These techniques are used in general for the analysis of polar, non-volatile molecules.

The facility offers GC-MS and LC-MS for both qualitative and quantitative analysis.