Iyini i-mass spectrometry?
I-mass spectrometry (i-MS) iyindlela yokuhlaziya esetshenziselwa ukukala isilinganiso sesisindo sokushaja kwama-ion. Imiphumela iboniswa njenge-mass spectrum, i-graph yokuqina njengomsebenzi wesilinganiso sesisindo nesisindo. I-mass spectrometry isetshenziswa emikhakheni eminingi ehlukene futhi isetshenziswa kumasampula ahlanzekile kanye nasezinhlanganisweni eziyinkimbinkimbi.  I-mass spectrum iwuhlobo lwesithombe sesignali ye-ion njengomsebenzi wesilinganiso sesisindo nesisindo. Lezi zibuko zisetshenziselwa ukunquma izakhi noma isotopic signature yesampula, isisindo sezinhlayiya namamolekyuli, nokucacisa ukufana kwamakhemikhali noma ukwakheka kwamamolekyuli namanye amakhemikhali.  Enkambisweni evamile ye-MS, isampula, okungase kube okuqinile, uketshezi, noma igesi, liyaniswa, ngokwesibonelo ngokulihlasela ngombani wama-electron. Lokhu kungase kubangele ukuba amanye ama-molecule esampula ahlukane abe izingcezu ezinesisindo esiqondile noma amane abe nesisindo esiqondile ngaphandle kokuqhekeka. La ma-ion (izingcezwana) abe esehlukaniswa ngokobuningi bawo, ngokwesibonelo ngokuwasheshisa nokuwafaka emkhakheni kagesi noma kazibuthe: ama-ion anobuningi obulinganayo nobuningi obufanayo azobhekana nokuphambuka okufanayo. Ama-ion atholakala ngomshini okwazi ukuthola izinhlayiya ezinomthwalo, njengesiphinda-phinda sama-electron. Imiphumela iboniswa njengama-spectrum omfutho wesiginali yama-ion atholakele njengomsebenzi wesilinganiso se-mass-to-charge. Ama-athomu noma ama-molecule esampulini angabonakala ngokuhlobanisa izisindo ezaziwayo (isibonelo, i-molecule ephelele) nezisindo ezihlonziwe noma ngokusebenzisa iphethini yokuqhekeka.