How does a mass-spectrometer work?
Mass spectrometry is the analytical technique that provides the most structural information for the least amount of analyte material. It provides qualitative and quantitative information about the atomic and molecular composition of inorganic and organic materials and their chemical structures . As an analytical technique it possesses distinct advantages such as: 1. Increased sensitivity over most other analytical techniques because the analyzer, as a mass-charge filter, reduces background interference 2. Excellent specificity from characteristic fragmentation patterns to identify unknowns or confirm the presence of suspected compounds. 3. Information about molecular weight . 4. Information about the isotopic abundance of elements . A few of the disadvantages of the method is that often fails to distinguish between optical and geometrical isomers and the positions of substituent in o-, m- and p- positions in an aromatic ring. Also, its scope is limited in identifying hydrocarbons...