Tandem mass spectrometry

Tandem mass spectrometry (also known as MS/MS or MS2) is a method used in analytical chemistry to identify the quantity and type of individual chemical compounds in a sample. It involves multiple steps of mass spectrometry and some form of fragmentation.

Overview

In a tandem mass spectrometry process, ions are formed in the ion source and are then subjected to a first stage of mass spectrometry to separate them by their mass-to-charge ratio. The selected ions are then fragmented and the fragments are subjected to a second stage of mass spectrometry to further separate them. The resulting spectrum is then used to identify the original molecule.

Applications

Tandem mass spectrometry is used in many different fields, including biochemistry, pharmacology, and environmental science. It is particularly useful in proteomics, where it is used to identify proteins and to determine their sequences. It is also used in metabolomics to identify small molecules.

See also

• Mass spectrometry
• Proteomics
• Metabolomics

References

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  Peptide Fragmentation in MS/MS