GC-MS
GC-MS
GC-MS (pronunciation: Gee-Cee-Em-Ess), or Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, is a method that combines the features of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify different substances within a test sample.
Etymology
The term GC-MS is an acronym derived from the names of the two techniques that make up the method: Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry.
Description
Gas chromatography (GC) is a common type of chromatography used in analytical chemistry for separating and analyzing compounds that can be vaporized without decomposition. The test sample is carried by a moving gas stream through a tube packed with a finely divided, inert, solid support material (stationary phase). Different chemical constituents of the sample separate from each other by partitioning between the moving gas stream (mobile phase) and the stationary phase.
Mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical technique that measures the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. The results are typically presented as a mass spectrum, a plot of intensity as a function of the mass-to-charge ratio. Mass spectrometry is used in many different fields and is applied to pure samples as well as complex mixtures.
When combined, GC-MS can provide a broad range of information about the chemical composition of a sample, including the identity and concentration of the components.
Related Terms
- Gas chromatography
- Mass spectrometry
- Analytical chemistry
- Test sample
- Stationary phase
- Mobile phase
- Mass spectrum
- Ion
- Chemical composition
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on GC-MS
- Wikipedia's article - GC-MS
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