ISSN (Online) : 2277-4572
Author(s): Sai Sirisha Vanukuri, Rajeesha Surapaneni, Alekhya Gottumukkala, Hima Tejaswi Nekkanti, Vijay Kotra*
Mass spectrometry is essentially a technique for determining the molecular weight. Mass spectrometry is based upon the motion of a charged particle, called an ion, in an electric or magnetic field. Mass spectrometry relies on the formation of gas-phase ions (positively or negatively charged) that can be isolated electrically (or magnetically) based on their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z), where as in Fourier transform ion cyclotron mass resonance spectroscopy (FTICR-MS) the m/z ratio measurement of an ion is based upon the ion's motion or cyclotron frequency in a magnetic field. Ions are detected by passing near detection plates and thus differently from other mass detectors/analysers in which ions are hitting a detector (at different times or places), the ions are trapped in a magnetic field combined with electric field perpendicular to each other (Penning trap). They are excited to perform a cyclotron motion. The cyclotron frequency depends on the ratio of electric charge to mass (m/z) and strength of the magnetic field. This spectrometric analysis can provide important information about the analytes, including their structure, purity, and composition.
