Mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometry (pronunciation: /mæs spɛkˈtrɒmɪtri/) 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.

Etymology

The term "mass spectrometry" is derived from the words "mass" (from Latin massa, meaning "lump or dough") and "spectrometry" (from Greek spectron, meaning "specter" and metron, meaning "measure"). Thus, it refers to the measurement of mass.

Related Terms

Ion: An atom or molecule with a net electric charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons.
Mass-to-charge ratio: The ratio of an ion's mass number to its net charge.
Mass spectrum: A plot of the ion signal as a function of the mass-to-charge ratio.
Analytical technique: A method that is used to determine the exact amount of a certain chemical in a substance.
Intensity (physics): The power transferred per unit area, where the area is measured on the plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the energy.

Applications

Mass spectrometry has many applications in the field of medicine, including:

Proteomics: The large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions.
Metabolomics: The scientific study of chemical processes involving metabolites, the small molecule intermediates and products of metabolism.
Pharmacokinetics: The study of how an organism affects a drug, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
Toxicology: The study of the adverse effects of chemical substances on living organisms.

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Mass spectrometry
Wikipedia's article - Mass spectrometry

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Mass spectrometry