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Time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) is one of the simplest and most powerful approaches for mass spectrometry. Realization of the advantages inherent in TOFMS requires innovation in the theory and practice of the technique. Instrumental developments, in turn, create new capabilities that enable applications in chemical measurement. This review focuses on the recent advances in TOFMS instrumentation. New strategies for ion acceleration, multiplexed detection, miniaturized TOFMS instruments, approaches to extend the length of ion flight, and novel ion detection technologies are reviewed. Techniques that change the basic paradigm of TOFMS by measuring m/z based on ion flight distance are considered, as are applications at the frontiers of instrumental performance. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Mass Spec Rev [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix effects caused by Na and Al in the nitrogen Microwave-sustained, Inductively Coupled, Atmospheric-pressure Plasma (MICAP) were investigated. Easily ionizable elements, such as Na, can suppress or enhance the analyte signal; Al is shown here to produce a similar effect. The influence of these matrices was examined for 18 emission lines of 8 analyte atoms and ions having a wide range of excitation and ionization energies. The plasma operating conditions were fixed during all experiments at a total nitrogen flow of 19.4 L min −1 and a microwave power of 1.5 kW. An Fe solution was used to determine the excitation temperature of the plasma by the Boltzmann plot method at selected matrix concentrations. In addition, vertical emission profiles of the plasma were measured. The matrix effect becomes worse at higher concentrations of an easily ionizable element. The effect is caused not only by a shift in ionization equilibrium but also by a possible change in plasma ionization temperature. Correction methods to reduce the matrix effects were tested and are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An atmospheric-pressure solution-cathode glow discharge (SCGD) has been evaluated as an ion source for atomic, molecular, and ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. The SCGD consists of a direct-current plasma, supported in the ambient air in the absence of gas flows, and sustained upon the surface of a flowing liquid cathode. Analytes introduced in the flowing liquid, as an ambient gas, or as a solid held near the plasma are vaporized and ionized by interactions within or near the discharge. Introduction of acidic solutions containing metal salts produced bare elemental ions as well as H 2 O, OH − and NO 3 − adducts. Detection limits for these elemental species ranged from 0.1 to 4 ppb, working curves spanned more than 4 orders of linear dynamic range, and precision varied between 5 and 16% relative standard deviation. Small organic molecules were also efficiently ionized from solution, and both the intact molecular ion and fragments were observed in the resulting SCGD mass spectra. Fragmentation of molecular species was found to be tunable; high discharge currents led to harder ionization, while low discharge currents produced stronger molecular-ion signals. Ambient gases and solids, desorbed by the plasma from a glass probe, were also readily ionized by the SCGD. Indeed, strong analyte signals were obtained from solid samples placed at least 2 cm from the plasma. These findings indicate that the SCGD might be useful also for ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. Combined with earlier results that showed the SCGD is useful for ionization of labile biomolecules, the results here indicate that the SCGD is a highly versatile ion source capable of providing both elemental and molecular mass-spectral information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two methods are described that enable on-line generation of calibration standards and standard additions in solution-cathode glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (SCGD-OES). The first method employs a gradient high-performance liquid chromatography pump to perform on-line mixing and delivery of a stock standard, sample solution, and diluent to achieve a desired solution composition. The second method makes use of a simpler system of three peristaltic pumps to perform the same function of on-line solution mixing. Both methods can be computer-controlled and automated, and thereby enable both simple and standard-addition calibrations to be rapidly performed on-line. Performance of the on-line approaches is shown to be comparable to that of traditional methods of sample preparation, in terms of calibration curves, signal stability, accuracy, and limits of detection. Potential drawbacks to the on-line procedures include signal lag between changes in solution composition and pump-induced multiplicative noise. Though the new on-line methods were applied here to SCGD-OES to improve sample throughput, they are not limited in application to only SCGD-OES—any instrument that samples from flowing solution streams (flame atomic absorption spectrometry, ICP-OES, ICP-mass spectrometry, etc.) could benefit from them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]