An ionizer includes an ionization probe (21) provided with a capillary (211), a metallic slender tube (212), and a nebulizing gas pipe (213). The ionization probe (21) is equipped to perform ESI-based ionization of components in a liquid sample. An electroconductive capillary (22) is disposed at a position forward in a flow direction of a nebulized flow of the liquid sample from the ionization probe (21). A high voltage from a high voltage power supply (23) is applied to the electroconductive capillary (22) to induce corona discharge so that the components in the liquid sample are ionized by the APCI as well. At the time of tuning the ionizer, a standard sample solution is provided through the electroconductive capillary (22), and a high voltage from the high voltage power supply (23) is applied to the electroconductive capillary (22) so that components in the standard sample solution are ionized by the ESI or due to an ion molecular reaction with solvent molecular ions produced in the ionization probe (21). Thus, components in a standard sample can be ionized and subjected to mass spectrometry without pipe rearranging operations or without switch to and from different flow paths using a valve.

An ionizer includes a probe having multiple coaxially aligned conduits. The conduits may carry liquids, and nebulizing and heating gases at various flow rates and temperatures, for generation of ions from a liquid source. An outermost conduit defines an entrainment region that transports and entrains ions in a gas for a defined distance along the length of the conduits. In embodiments, various voltages may be applied to the multiple conduits to aid in ionization and to guide ions. Depending on the voltages applied to the multiple conduits and electrodes, the ionizer can act as an electrospray, APCI, or APPI source. Further, the ionizer may include a source of photons or a source of corona ionization. Formed ions may be provided to a downstream mass analyser.

The present invention relates to an interface unit which can be used in a laser ablation-direct analysis in real time-mass spectrometry (LA-DART-MS) system, and more particularly, provides an interface unit which can be disposed between a DART unit and an MS unit to improve detection sensitivity of a sample laser-ablated by a laser beam.

The present invention comprises novel methods of continuously monitoring the performance of an atmospheric pressure ionization (API) system. The methods of the invention allow for improved quality monitoring of the processes that leads to the formation of ions at atmospheric pressure. The methods of the invention further allow for continuously monitoring for the quality of the ion formation process in API without the addition of extraneous material (such as labelled compounds or control known compounds) to the system being monitored.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a system for selectively ionizing samples that may comprise a plurality of different analytes that are not normally detectable using the same ionization technique. The disclosed system comprises a unique split flow tube that can be coupled with a plurality of ionization sources to facilitate using different ionization techniques for the same sample. Also disclosed herein are embodiments of a method for determining the presence of analytes in a sample, wherein the number and type of detectable analytes that can be identified is increased and sensitivity and selectivity are not sacrificed.

A solution-cathode glow discharge mass spectrometry (SCGD-MS) apparatus comprises a SCGD source and a mass spectrometer. The SCGD source may comprise conductive rods, a power source, and a capillary. A method for ionizing an analyte comprises flowing an electrically conductive liquid onto a conductive rod, applying an electric potential to a second conductive rod such that a plasma discharge forms between the first conductive rod and the electrically conductive liquid to produce ions, and separating the ions in a mass spectrometer. The analyte may be a polypeptide that may be contacted with trypsin. The analyte may be a solid, liquid, gas, chemical complex, or ion in solution. The method may comprise sequencing the polypeptide.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for ionizing a surface. In one implementation, an ionization source may include a microhollow cathode plasma or micro cavity plasma (MCP)-based ion source having a cavity and generating a plasma. A gas stream may pass through the cavity and transport the plasma. The source may further include one or more conductive electrodes located downstream from the MCP and configured to have a potential relative to the MCP such that positive and negative ions included in the plasma are carried through the electrodes by the gas stream. In another implementation, a mixer may mix a dopant (e.g. water) with the gas stream (e.g. air) entering the discharge. The disclosure also relates to a surface ionization probe.

A measuring apparatus includes an input to receive an aerosol sample, a modifier unit to provide a modified sample by removing particles of the aerosol sample, and a sensor unit to measure a spectral profile by detecting molecules of the gas phase of the modified sample,
wherein the spectral profile is a mobility spectrum or a mass spectrometer spectrum, the modifier unit is arranged to generate a corona discharge, to form charged particles by charging particles of the aerosol sample with the corona discharge, and to provide the modified sample by removing the charged particles with an electric field, the particle removal efficiency of the modifier unit has a cutoff size to prevent propagation of particles larger than the cutoff size to the sensor unit, and the cutoff size is in the range of 1 nm to 20 nm.

Systems and methods for atmospheric pressure chemical ionization are provided herein. In various aspects, the APCI apparatus, systems, and methods can provide an asymmetric sample spray into a vaporization chamber asymmetrically (e.g., off axis from the longitudinal axis of the vaporization chamber) so as to increase the interaction of the molecules in the sample spray with the vaporization chamber's sidewalls (and expose more of the molecules to the heat generated thereby), which can thereby result in improved consistency and/or efficiency of ion formation, and/or increased sensitivity relative to conventional APCI techniques.

Apparatus include an atmospheric pressure glow discharge (APGD) analyte electrode defining an analyte discharge axis into an APGD volume, and a plurality of APGD counter electrodes having respective electrical discharge ends directed to the APGD volume, wherein the APGD analyte electrode and the APGD counter electrodes are configured to produce an APGD plasma in the APGD volume with a voltage difference between the APGD analyte electrode and one or more of the AGPD counter electrodes. An electrode can be integrated into an ion inlet. Apparatus can be configured to perform auto-ignition and/or provide multi-modal operation through selectively powering electrodes. Electrode holder devices are disclosed. Related methods are disclosed.