Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Mass spectrometry (MS) is a kind of technology that ionizes material particles (atoms and molecules) into charged ions, separates them according to the location space, time sequence, etc. by appropriately stable or changing electromagnetic fields, and detects their strength for qualitative and quantitative analysis. Since the twentieth century, especially after the 1980s, with the rapid development of new ion sources (such as Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization [MALDI], Electron Spray Ionization [ESI]) and ion optics theory, after decades of technical iteration and theoretical innovation, mass spectrometry has already become an indispensable new measurement technology in the field of modern chemical analysis and biological analysis. It is widely used in chemical engineering, life science, food safety, environmental monitoring, medical and health, and other fields. Compared with traditional detection methods, it has the advantages of rapid analysis, high throughput, high sensitivity, high specificity, simultaneous detection of multiple indicators, low cost, and so on.