A mass spectrometer, MS, 100 is described. The MS 100 comprises: a first chamber 110, comprising a set of ports P close able by respective doors, for receiving sample plates including respective unique device identifiers, UDIs, therein and/or there through, wherein the set of ports P includes a first port P1 having a first door D1 and a second port P2 having a second door D2; a second chamber 120, fluidically couple able with the first chamber 110 via the second port P2, wherein the second chamber 120 is fluidically coupled to and/or comprises an ion source 130, an analyser 140 and an ion detector 150, for mass spectrometry of samples included on the sample plates received therein; and an imager 160, coupled to the second chamber 120, configured to image the UDIs of the sample plates; a controller 170 configured to control the imager 160; wherein the MS 100 is arrangeable in: a first arrangement, wherein a first sample plate 1A of a set of sample plates 1 is received in the first chamber 110 via the first port P1, wherein the first door D1 is open and wherein the second door D2 is closed, and wherein the first sample plate 1A includes a first UDI U1A of a set of UDIs; a second arrangement, wherein the first sample plate 1A is in the first chamber 110, wherein the first door D1 is closed and wherein the second door D2 is closed; and a third arrangement, wherein the first sample plate 1A is received in the second chamber 120 via the second port P2, wherein the second door D2 is closed; wherein the controller 170 is configured to control the imager 160 to image the first UDI U1A of the first sample plate 1A, when the MS 100 is arranged in the third arrangement.

A mass spectrometer, MS, 100 is described. The MS 100 comprises: a first chamber 110, comprising a set of ports P close able by respective doors, for receiving sample plates including respective unique device identifiers, UDIs, therein and/or there through, wherein the set of ports P includes a first port P1 having a first door D1 and a second port P2 having a second door D2; a second chamber 120, fluidically couple able with the first chamber 110 via the second port P2, wherein the second chamber 120 is fluidically coupled to and/or comprises an ion source 130, an analyser 140 and an ion detector 150, for mass spectrometry of samples included on the sample plates received therein; and an imager 160, coupled to the second chamber 120, configured to image the UDIs of the sample plates; a controller 170 configured to control the imager 160; wherein the MS 100 is arrangeable in: a first arrangement, wherein a first sample plate 1A of a set of sample plates 1 is received in the first chamber 110 via the first port P1, wherein the first door D1 is open and wherein the second door D2 is closed, and wherein the first sample plate 1A includes a first UDI U1A of a set of UDIs; a second arrangement, wherein the first sample plate 1A is in the first chamber 110, wherein the first door D1 is closed and wherein the second door D2 is closed; and a third arrangement, wherein the first sample plate 1A is received in the second chamber 120 via the second port P2, wherein the second door D2 is closed; wherein the controller 170 is configured to control the imager 160 to image the first UDI U1A of the first sample plate 1A, when the MS 100 is arranged in the third arrangement.

A mass spectrometer, MS, 100 is described. A mass spectrometer comprises: a set of chambers, for receiving sample plate holders therein and/or therethrough, wherein the sample plate holders are arranged to hold respective subsets of sample plates therein and/or thereon and wherein the sample plate holders include respective identifiers, wherein the set of chambers is fluidically coupled to and/or comprises an ion source, an analyser and an ion detector, for mass spectrometry of samples included on the sample plates received therein; a reader configured to read a first identifier, of a set of identifiers, included on a first sample plate holder, of a set of sample plate holders, optionally including a first sample plate, of a set of sample plates, held therein and/or thereon, received in the set of chambers; and a controller configured to control the reader to read the first identifier of the first sample plate holder received in the set of chambers.

A mass spectrometer, MS, 100 is described. A mass spectrometer comprises: a set of chambers, for receiving sample plate holders therein and/or therethrough, wherein the sample plate holders are arranged to hold respective subsets of sample plates therein and/or thereon and wherein the sample plate holders include respective identifiers, wherein the set of chambers is fluidically coupled to and/or comprises an ion source, an analyser and an ion detector, for mass spectrometry of samples included on the sample plates received therein; a reader configured to read a first identifier, of a set of identifiers, included on a first sample plate holder, of a set of sample plate holders, optionally including a first sample plate, of a set of sample plates, held therein and/or thereon, received in the set of chambers; and a controller configured to control the reader to read the first identifier of the first sample plate holder received in the set of chambers.

A trace detection device including: an ion mobility tube ; a sampling gas path module ; a sample injection gas path module configured to introduce a sample carrier gas containing a sample collected by the sampling gas path module toward the ion mobility tube; and a gas chromatography apparatus capable of pre-separating the sample carrier gas, so as to form a pre-separated sample carrier gas; wherein the sample injection gas path module is further configured to be capable of switching between a first mode and a second mode, in the first mode, the sample injection gas path module introduces the sample carrier gas into the ion mobility tube; and in the second mode, the sample injection gas path module introduces the sample carrier gas into the gas chromatography apparatus to pre-separate the sample carrier gas, and the pre-separated sample carrier gas is introduced into the ion mobility tube.

A trace detection device including: an ion mobility tube ; a sampling gas path module ; a sample injection gas path module configured to introduce a sample carrier gas containing a sample collected by the sampling gas path module toward the ion mobility tube; and a gas chromatography apparatus capable of pre-separating the sample carrier gas, so as to form a pre-separated sample carrier gas; wherein the sample injection gas path module is further configured to be capable of switching between a first mode and a second mode, in the first mode, the sample injection gas path module introduces the sample carrier gas into the ion mobility tube; and in the second mode, the sample injection gas path module introduces the sample carrier gas into the gas chromatography apparatus to pre-separate the sample carrier gas, and the pre-separated sample carrier gas is introduced into the ion mobility tube.

A method of operating an air purification system (24″) of an ion mobility spectrometer, the method comprising: operating the ion mobility spectrometer in a first sampling mode comprising circulating a flow of air around a closed air circulation system comprising a drift chamber (12) of the ion mobility spectrometer and a first sieve (70) of the air purification system; and operating the ion mobility spectrometer in a first regeneration mode comprising heating the first sieve and circulating a first flow of air through a second sieve (72) of the air purification system and through the drift chamber (12) while passing a second flow of air through the first sieve (70) to an outtake (76).

A method of operating an air purification system (24″) of an ion mobility spectrometer, the method comprising: operating the ion mobility spectrometer in a first sampling mode comprising circulating a flow of air around a closed air circulation system comprising a drift chamber (12) of the ion mobility spectrometer and a first sieve (70) of the air purification system; and operating the ion mobility spectrometer in a first regeneration mode comprising heating the first sieve and circulating a first flow of air through a second sieve (72) of the air purification system and through the drift chamber (12) while passing a second flow of air through the first sieve (70) to an outtake (76).

A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a rotatable isolation valve 1 having a curved, spherical, cylindrical or concave portion. At least a portion of an ion guide 2 is positioned so as to extend within a swept volume of the isolation valve 1 enabling the ion guide 2 to be positioned close to a second downstream ion guide 3 and for ions to be transmitted from the first 2 ion guide to the second ion guide 3 with high ion transmission efficiency.

A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a rotatable isolation valve 1 having a curved, spherical, cylindrical or concave portion. At least a portion of an ion guide 2 is positioned so as to extend within a swept volume of the isolation valve 1 enabling the ion guide 2 to be positioned close to a second downstream ion guide 3 and for ions to be transmitted from the first 2 ion guide to the second ion guide 3 with high ion transmission efficiency.