BRAINCAKECombining Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry
Gas chromatography separates a mixture very well, but retention times alone cannot always identify a component, because different substances can have similar retention times. Mass spectrometry (MS) identifies substances well but needs a pure sample. Combining them in GC-MS uses the strengths of both.
How GC-MS works: the outlet of the gas chromatography column is connected directly to a mass spectrometer. As each separated component leaves the column, it passes straight into the mass spectrometer, which records its mass spectrum.
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Key terms in this lesson
- retention time
- The time taken from injection of a sample to a component reaching the detector in gas chromatography.
More in Chromatography
- Chromatography
- Thin-Layer Chromatography
- Rf Values
- Column Chromatography
- Gas Chromatography
- Retention Times
All 7 lessons in Chromatography · All AQA A-level Chemistry topics