DART ion source

A DART ion source is a type of ion source used in mass spectrometry that allows for the direct analysis of solids, liquids, and gases in open air under ambient conditions. DART stands for Direct Analysis in Real Time, a technology that has significantly expanded the capabilities of mass spectrometry by enabling rapid, non-contact analysis of samples without the need for extensive sample preparation.

The DART ion source operates by generating a stream of heated, electronically or vibrationally excited gas molecules, typically helium or nitrogen. These gas molecules ionize the sample's molecules when they come into contact, either through Penning ionization, where excited gas molecules transfer energy to the sample molecules, or through chemical ionization, where the gas molecules react with the sample molecules to produce ions. The ions produced are then analyzed by the mass spectrometer.

One of the key advantages of the DART ion source is its ability to analyze a wide variety of samples, including but not limited to pharmaceuticals, chemicals, biological tissues, and environmental samples. Its non-invasive nature and rapid analysis time make it particularly useful in fields such as forensic science, food safety, environmental monitoring, and pharmaceutical analysis.

The development of the DART ion source has also facilitated the growth of ambient ionization techniques in mass spectrometry, which aim to simplify the analytical process by reducing or eliminating sample preparation. This has opened new possibilities for in situ analysis and real-time diagnostics.