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What is a mass spectrometer?
A mass spectrometer is an analytical tool used by a variety of scientific disciplines. These instruments utilize electric and/or magnetic fields to separate charged particles …via their mass to charge ratio. Scientists can utilize these instruments to examine a wide range of substances from small molecules such as pharmaceuticals and their metabolic products to entire protein complexes. When a sample is analyzed via mass spectrometry, spectra are generated that display the mass to charge ratios of everything in the sample that is above the limit of detection of the instrument used (barring any ion suppression or other effects). These mass to charge ratios can uniquely identify compounds in some cases. When the intact mass to charge ratio is insufficient to characterize a species, various methods can be used to fragment the precursor. Following fragmentation, the mass to charge ratios of the product ions (fragments) can be acquired. This type of experiment is referred to as MS/MS or Tandem MS. These product ions, combined with the mass to charge ratio of the precursor, in many cases allow unambiguous assignment of the precursor's identity. (MORE)