APPLICATION OF PARTICLE-BEAM MASS-SPECTROMETRY TO DRUGS - AN EXAMINATION OF THE PARAMETERS AFFECTING SENSITIVITY

The qualitative performance of a particle-beam interface is evaluated by an examination of the effects of altering the pressure of the nebul isation gas, the nebuliser position, the desolvation chamber temperatu re, the temperature of the nebulisation gas, the temperature of the so urce and the solvent composition. All these parameters have an impact on performance excepting the nebulisation gas temperature. A summary o f the ''optimum'' settings for routine operation is given.