Devices, systems and methods including a spray chamber are described. In certain examples, the spray chamber may be configured with an outer chamber configured to provide tangential gas flows. In other instances, an inner tube can be positioned within the outer chamber and may comprise a plurality of microchannels. In some examples, the outer chamber may comprise dual gas inlet ports. In some instances, the spray chamber may be configured to provide tangential gas flow and laminar gas flows to prevent droplet formation on surfaces of the spray chamber. Optical emission devices, optical absorption devices and mass spectrometers using the spray chamber are also described.

Certain configurations of systems comprising a cell analyzer and a mass spectrometer are described. In some embodiments, the system can be used to determine both a cell phenotype or cellular response and an amount of at least one elemental species in the cell. The phenotype or other cellular characteristic and elemental content of each cell in a cell population can be determined and correlated.

An analyzer includes: an ionizer unit that ionizes molecules to be analyzed; a filter unit that selectively passes ions generated by the ionizer unit; and a detection unit that detects ions that have passed the filter unit. The detection unit includes a plurality of detection elements disposed in a matrix, and the analyzer further includes a first reconfiguration unit that switches between detection patterns including detection elements to be enabled for detection out of the plurality of detection elements. The ionizer unit includes a plurality of ion sources, and the analyzer further includes a driving control unit that switches the connections of the plurality of ion sources based on changes in characteristics of the ion sources.

This disclosure provides quantitative, rapid, and reliable LC-MS/MS methods for analyzing panels of pesticides and mycotoxins in various samples, including very hydrophobic and chlorinated compounds normally analyzed on a GC-MS/MS system. The methods can be carried out using a single instrument and can detect and quantify levels of the pesticides and mycotoxins that are well below action limits specified by U.S. states (e.g., California) and other countries (e.g., Canada) for these compounds in cannabis products.

Methods and systems of identifying two or more elements in a single individual particle are described. In some examples, an optical emission from each of an ionized first element and an ionized second element can simultaneously be detected to identify at least a first element in a particle from a plurality of particles using the optical emission from the ionized first element, and to identify at least a second element in the particle from the plurality of particles using the optical emission from the second ionized element. The identified first element and the identified second element can be used to identify a source of the particle from a plurality of particles.

A secondary ion mass spectrometer comprises: (a) a first primary ion source for generating a first pulsed primary ion beam with short pulse durations; (b) a second primary ion source for generating a second pulsed primary ion beam with pulse durations in the range of 50 ns and up to 5 s; (c) a first TOF-SIMS analysis unit for mass spectroscopic analysis of the secondary ions generated by the primary ion pulses of the first primary ion source from a sample; and (d) a second analysis unit for mass spectroscopic analysis of the secondary ions generated by the primary ion pulses of the second primary ion source from a sample.

Devices, systems and methods including a spray chamber are described. In certain examples, the spray chamber may be configured with an outer chamber configured to provide tangential gas flows. In other instances, an inner tube can be positioned within the outer chamber and may comprise a plurality of microchannels. In some examples, the outer chamber may comprise dual gas inlet ports. In some instances, the spray chamber may be configured to provide tangential gas flow and laminar gas flows to prevent droplet formation on surfaces of the spray chamber. Optical emission devices, optical absorption devices and mass spectrometers using the spray chamber are also described.

A method of removing sample residue from a surface of a mass spectrometer inlet, with the surface being adjacent to an ion passageway, is provided. A pendent droplet of a cleaning solvent is formed at a tip of a capillary, with the tip being spaced apart from the surface. The pendent droplet detaches from the tip and contacts the surface. The surface is heated to a temperature T at least 50 C. above the boiling point of the least volatile component of the cleaning solvent.

A method of automatically performing a routine to check the operational state of a mass spectrometer is disclosed wherein the method is performed automatically as a start-up routine upon switching ON the mass spectrometer. The method comprises automatically generating a vacuum within one or more vacuum chambers of a mass spectrometer and automatically generating first ions using an internal ion source, wherein the internal ion source is located within a vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer or is located within a chamber downstream from an atmospheric pressure interface, and detecting at least some of the first ions or second ions derived from the first ions. The method further comprises automatically determining whether or not the mass spectrometer is in a correct operational state.

An ion source is disclosed that alternates between ionizing analytes in a sample by electrospray ionization and impact ionization.