A method of analysis using mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The method comprises: using a first device to generate smoke, aerosol or vapour from a target comprising or consisting of a microbial population; mass analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said smoke, aerosol or vapour, or ions derived therefrom, in order to obtain spectrometric data; and analysing said spectrometric data in order to analyse said microbial population.

A method of mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed that comprises accumulating ions for a first period of time (T1) one or more times so as to form one or more first groups of ions, accumulating ions for a second period of time (T2) one or more times so as to form one or more second groups of ions, wherein the second period of time (T2) is less that the first period of time (T1), analysing the one or more first groups of ions to generate one or more first data sets, analysing the one or more second groups of ions to generate one or more second data sets, and determining whether the one or more first data sets comprise saturated and/or distorted data. If it is determined that the one or more first data sets comprise saturated and/or distorted data, then the method further comprises replacing the saturated and/or distorted data from the one or more first data sets with corresponding data from the one or more second data sets.

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for preparing a gaseous isotope reference, the method comprising: providing a solid or liquid carbon-containing material exhibiting a carbon isotope ratio; providing oxygen gas or a gas mixture comprising oxygen gas, wherein said gas or gas mixture exhibits an oxygen isotope ratio; determining said carbon isotope ratio in the solid carbon-containing material and/or determining said oxygen isotope ratio in the oxygen gas or the gas mixture comprising oxygen; bringing the solid carbon-containing material in contact with the oxygen gas or the gas mixture comprising oxygen gas, in a high temperature in order to oxidize at least a part of the solid carbon-containing material to carbon dioxide to obtain the gaseous carbon and/or oxygen isotope reference in the form of carbon dioxide.

A mass spectrometer includes a control system arranged to assess an operational state of the mass spectrometer. When a fault is detected, the control system assigns the fault to one of a plurality of categories, including a first category of faults which may be attempted to be rectified automatically by the mass spectrometer, a second category of faults which may be attempted to be rectified by the user, and a third category of faults which may only be attempted to be rectified by a service engineer. When a fault is assigned to the first category of faults, the control system initiates an attempt to automatically rectify the fault. When a fault is assigned to the second category of faults, the control system causes information relating to the fault to be displayed to the user, including data indicative of the fault and data one or more steps to be taken by the user to attempt to rectify the fault (2000). When a fault is assigned to the third category of faults, the control system causes information relating to the fault to be displayed to the user including data indicative of the fault, and an indication that the user should call a service engineer.

Disclosed is a method of desorbing an adsorbed material by subjecting to energy a diazirine adsorbed on a solid surface or a layer on the solid surface, which causes the diazirine to form a carbene and nitrogen gas; and using the energy of the resultant nitrogen gas to desorb the adsorbed material from the solid surface or a layer on the same. Also disclosed is a method of reacting the resultant carbene with (a) a material in the gas phase proximal to the first solid surface; (b) a material adsorbed on a second solid surface proximal to the first solid surface; or (c) a second solid surface proximal to the first solid surface.

An isotope ratio spectrometer is operated for measurement of a sample. First isotope ratios and first signal intensities are measured for a reference in the spectrometer, over a first measurement time period. A first relationship comprising a relationship between the first isotope ratios and the first signal intensities is determined. Sample isotope ratios and sample signal intensities are measured in the spectrometer, over a second measurement time period subsequent to the first measurement time period. Second isotope ratios and second signal intensities for a reference are measured in the spectrometer, over a third measurement time period subsequent to the second measurement time period. A second relationship comprising a relationship between the second isotope ratios and the second signal intensities is determined. A reference isotope ratio is estimated for a time X within the second measurement time period, based on the first relationship and the second relationship.

A system includes a first type of sensor and an estimation system that is connected to first type of sensor. The estimation system is configured to (a) identify a best peak shape for estimation of known gas mixtures by analyzing characterization data across known gas mixtures, with added noise, using machine learning, (b) generate a plurality of actual peak shapes, in first type of sensor, for several different instances using standard gas mixtures to provide an actual peak shape among the plurality of peak shapes as calibrating input to calibrate first type of sensor and (c) calibrate first type of sensor by automatically adjusting parameters of first type of sensor for optimizing actual peak shape to match with desired peak shape.

A method of analysis using mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The method comprises: using a first device to generate smoke, aerosol or vapour from a target comprising or consisting of a microbial population; mass analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said smoke, aerosol or vapour, or ions derived therefrom, in order to obtain spectrometric data; and analysing said spectrometric data in order to analyse said microbial population.

One mode of the present invention provides a laser power adjustment method for ionization in a laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometer, the laser power adjustment method including: a measurement step (S1) in which intensity information on ions derived from a specific component in a specimen are acquired while changing laser power in n stages (n is 3 or more) for the identical specimen; and a processing step (S2, S6, and S7) in which a slope of a straight line connecting two adjacent plot points on a laser power axis is calculated in a two-axis graph in which a relationship between n ionic intensities obtained by the measurement step or a signal value, which is an SN ratio obtained from the ionic intensities, and laser power is plotted; an index value reflecting a ratio between a forward slope value, which is a slope of a straight line on a front side of the plot point, and a backward slope value, which is a slope of a straight line on a rear side, is obtained for each plot point; and appropriate laser power is selected using the index value.

Methods and systems for determining a measure of a rate of decay of an ion sample. Specifically, the present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for determining decay constants and cross-section measurements in parallel to mass measurement and decay time correction. The disclosure particularly relates to methods and apparatus for performing Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS).