An apparatus for performing ambient ionisation mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a substantially cylindrical, tubular, rod-shaped, coil-shaped, helical or spiral-shaped collision assembly; and a first device arranged and adapted to direct analyte, smoke, fumes, liquid, gas, surgical smoke, aerosol or vapour onto said collision assembly.

An apparatus for performing ambient ionisation mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a substantially cylindrical, tubular, rod-shaped, coil-shaped, helical or spiral-shaped collision assembly; and a first device arranged and adapted to direct analyte, smoke, fumes, liquid, gas, surgical smoke, aerosol or vapour onto said collision assembly.

A method for detecting and analyzing olefins in petroleum by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry can include obtaining a hydrocarbon sample comprising at least about 90 wt % of saturate compounds; producing a solution comprising the hydrocarbon sample and a metal salt, the metal salt comprising a metal ion; forming olefin-metal ion complexes by electrospray ionization; and detecting the olefin-metal ion complexes using mass spectrometry.

The present invention is directed to a method and device to desorb an analyte using heat to allow desorption of the analyte molecules, where the desorbed analyte molecules are ionized with ambient temperature ionizing species. In various embodiments of the invention a current is passed through a mesh upon which the analyte molecules are present. The current heats the mesh and results in desorption of the analyte molecules which then interact with gas phase metastable neutral molecules or atoms to form analyte ions characteristic of the analyte molecules.

The present invention is directed to a method and device to desorb an analyte using heat to allow desorption of the analyte molecules, where the desorbed analyte molecules are ionized with ambient temperature ionizing species. In various embodiments of the invention a current is passed through a mesh upon which the analyte molecules are present. The current heats the mesh and results in desorption of the analyte molecules which then interact with gas phase metastable neutral molecules or atoms to form analyte ions characteristic of the analyte molecules.

An ion mobility spectrometry method is described comprising: providing a sample; generating molecular ions from the sample; separating the molecular ions according to their mobility characteristics; fragmenting at least some of the separated molecular ions to form sub-molecular fragment ions in a fragmentation zone; separating at least some of the fragment ions according to their mobility characteristics; wherein the separation and fragmentation steps are performed at a pressure of at least 50 mbar; detecting at least some of the separated fragment ions; and identifying at least one molecular ion based on its mobility characteristics and/or the mobility characteristics of at least one detected fragment ion.

A portable ion mobility spectrometry apparatus (1) for detecting an aerosol and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises an ion mobility spectrometer (3); a portable power source (5) carried by the apparatus for providing power to the apparatus (1); an inlet (7) for collecting a flow of air to be tested by the spectrometer (3); a heater (4) configured to heat the air to be tested to vapourise an aerosol carried by the air and a controller (2) configured to control the spectrometer (3) to obtain samples from the heated air, wherein the controller is configured to increase a heat output from the heater (4) for a selected time period before obtaining samples from the heated air.

A portable ion mobility spectrometry apparatus (1) for detecting an aerosol and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises an ion mobility spectrometer (3); a portable power source (5) carried by the apparatus for providing power to the apparatus (1); an inlet (7) for collecting a flow of air to be tested by the spectrometer (3); a heater (4) configured to heat the air to be tested to vapourise an aerosol carried by the air and a controller (2) configured to control the spectrometer (3) to obtain samples from the heated air, wherein the controller is configured to increase a heat output from the heater (4) for a selected time period before obtaining samples from the heated air.

The present invention relates to the field of mass and/or ion mobility spectrometers. Provided is an ionization device and a mass spectrometer and an ion mobility spectrometer having same. Further provided is an ionization method. A sampling probe of the ionization device of the present invention is able to actively and rapidly collect samples, while a sampling device and a thermal desorption device are combined into one, simplifying and compacting the sampling device. An ionization part is provided downstream of the sampling and desorption part, ensuring that the sampling probe will not interfere with a flow field or an electric field between the ionization part and the analysis assembly inlet, thus ensuring repeatability of the device signal and flexibility of analysis.

The present invention provides a method for analyzing a sample containing metal fine particles with an inductive coupling plasma mass spectrometer. The method enables analysis of the sample without the need of standard metal fine particles. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for analyzing metal fine particles in liquid by use of an inductive coupling plasma mass spectrometer. In the method, the analysis apparatus is provided with a standard solution introduction apparatus including a standard solution storage unit for storing a standard solution containing a specific element in a known concentration, a syringe pump for suctioning and discharging the standard solution, and a solution introduction unit having a standard solution nebulizer and a standard solution spray chamber that are supplied with the standard solution, the standard solution is directly supplied to the standard solution nebulizer at a flow rate of 3 μL/min or less.