MICROPROBE SPECIATION ANALYSIS OF INORGANIC SOLIDS BY FOURIER-TRANSFORM LASER MASS-SPECTROMETRY

Fourier transform (FT) laser microprobe mass spectrometry (LMMS) aims at the characterization of local constituents at the surface of solids . Signals om structural fragments specify the main building blocks of the analyte while adduct ions, consisting of one or two intact analyte molecules and a stable ion, allow specific identification of the mole cule. A series of inorganic reference compounds including binary salts , oxides, and oxy salts was analyzed to assess the FT LMMS capabilitie s for the determination of the inorganic molecular composition. Compou nds from different classes can be tentatively identified by deductive reasoning while those with the same elements in different stoichiometr ies require comparison with reference spectra.