View source for Membrane-introduction mass spectrometry

'''Membrane-introduction mass spectrometry''' (MIMS) is a method of introducing analytes into the [[mass spectrometer]]'s [[vacuum chamber]] via a [[semi-permeable membrane]].<ref name="pmid10715830">{{cite journal |vauthors=Johnson RC, Cooks RG, Allen TM, Cisper ME, Hemberger PH |title=Membrane introduction mass spectrometry: trends and applications |journal=Mass Spectrometry Reviews |volume=19 |issue=1 |pages=1–37 |year=2000 |pmid=10715830 |doi=10.1002/(SICI)1098-2787(2000)19:1<1::AID-MAS1>3.0.CO;2-Y|bibcode=2000MSRv...19....1J }}</ref><ref name="pmid17258752">{{cite journal |vauthors=Demeestere K, Dewulf J, De Witte B, Van Langenhove H |title=Sample preparation for the analysis of volatile organic compounds in air and water matrices |journal=Journal of Chromatography A |volume=1153 |issue=1-2 |pages=130–44 |year=2007 |pmid=17258752 |doi=10.1016/j.chroma.2007.01.012}}</ref>  Usually a thin, gas-permeable, [[hydrophobic]] membrane is used, for example [[polydimethylsiloxane]].  Samples can be almost any fluid including water, air or sometimes even solvents.  The great advantage of the method of sample introduction is its simplicity.  MIMS can be used to measure a variety of analytes in real-time, with little or no sample preparation.  MIMS is most useful for the measurement of small, [[non-polar molecule]]s, since molecules of this type have a greater affinity for the membrane material than the sample. The advantage of this method is that complex samples that cannot diffuse through the membrane are not incorporated into the mass spectroscopic measurements, highlighting the simplicity of only analyzing (small) molecules of interest.

==See also==
*[[Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization]]
*[[Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Mass spectrometry]]


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