The present disclosure provides methods of identifying or certifying an animal that consumed a traceable diet comprising a C.sub.1 metabolizing microorganism.

An embodiment of an analysis system can include an initial multi-port valve, at least one intermediate multi-port valve, a further multi-port valve, and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS). The initial multi-port valve can be configured to receive a sample. The at least one intermediate multi-port valve can be fluidly connected to the initial multi-port valve and configured to receive the sample from the initial multi-port valve. A given intermediate multi-port valve can have an ion-exchange column associated therewith. The given intermediate multi-port valve can be configured selectably to one of direct the sample through the ion-exchange column associated therewith (in a speciation mode) or bypass the ion-exchange column (in an infusion mode). The further multi-port valve can be fluidly connected with the at least one intermediate multi-port valve and configured to receive the sample from therefrom. The time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) can be fluidly connected to the further multi-port valve.

In an ESI sprayer including a pipe connecting jig used to connect an inlet-side pipe and an ESI capillary, a through-hole having an inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of the inlet-side pipe at one end and an inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of the ESI capillary at another end is formed in an axial direction of a conductive cylindrical body in which at least both ends are plastically deformable, and a gap forming protrusion protruding inward from a circumferential wall of the through-hole is provided in the cylindrical body.

A method is disclosed comprising obtaining or acquiring chemical or other non-mass spectrometric data from one or more regions of a target using a chemical sensor. The chemical or other non-mass spectrometric data may be used to determine one or more regions of interest of the target. An ambient ionisation ion source may then be used to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of the target.

A method is disclosed comprising obtaining or acquiring image or other data from one or more regions of a target using an imaging sensor. The image or other data may then be used to determine one or more regions of interest of the target. An ambient ionisation ion source may then be used to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of the target.

An apparatus for mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising a first device arranged and adapted to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour from a target and one or more second devices arranged and adapted to aspirate aerosol, smoke, vapour and/or liquid to or towards an analyser. A liquid trap or separator is provided to capture and/or discard liquid aspirated by the one or more second devices.

Methods are provided for detecting the amount of one or more HRT panel analytes (i.e., estrone (E1), estrone sulfate (E1s), 17-estradiol (E2a), 17-estradiol (E2b), estradiol sulfate (E2s), estriol (E3), equilin (EQ), 17-dihydroequilin (EQa), 17-dihydroequilin (EQb), Equilenin (EN), 17-dihydroequilenin (ENa), 17-dihydroequilenin (ENb), and 8,9-dehydroestrone (dE1)) in a sample by mass spectrometry. The methods generally involve ionizing one or more HRT panel analytes in a sample and quantifying the generated ions to determine the amount of one or more HRT panel analytes in the sample. In methods where amounts of multiple HRT panel analytes are detected, the amounts of multiple analytes are detected in the same sample injection.

A method and kit for detecting at least two vitamin D metabolites in a biological sample is disclosed, which comprises processing the biological sample to prepare the sample for LC-MS/MS analysis, passing the prepared sample through a liquid chromatography column having an outlet connected to an inlet port of a tandem mass spectrometer to separate said two vitamin D metabolites, if present in the sample, and introduce the two vitamin D metabolites into the tandem mass spectrometer. The method further comprises generating [M+H].sup.+ ions of each of the two vitamin D metabolites in said tandem mass spectrometer, and generating two fragment ions of said [M+H].sup.+ ions associated with said vitamin D metabolites, wherein said fragment ions are not due to water losses from the [M+H].sup.+ ions; and detecting the fragment ions to identify presence of the two metabolites in the biological sample.

An apparatus for mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising a first device arranged and adapted to generate aerosol, smoke or vapor from a target and one or more second devices arranged and adapted to aspirate aerosol, smoke, vapor and/or liquid to or towards an analyzer. A liquid trap or separator is provided to capture and/or discard liquid aspirated by the one or more second devices.

A sample testing device comprises an aerosol generator for generating aerosol from a test sample, a sample collector for collecting aerosol particles within a desired size range, and a sample analyzer for determining chemical composition of the collected aerosol particles. The sample testing device may be used to conduct an integrated orthonasal/retronasal flavor analysis for a food product or beverage.