Current Trends in Mass Spectrometry

Biography

Biography: Frédéric Aubriet

Abstract

Nowadays, the analysis of complex systems for different purposes is a great challenge. Two methodologies based on mass spectrometry may be used. The first one involves a targeted approach, which requires pretreatment steps including extraction, purification and separation (liquid or gas chromatography) before mass spectrometry measurement. This methodology is well suited for the quantization of targeted compounds but does not allow a global description of the sample to be achieved. Alternatively, the non-targeted methodology introduced few years ago may be used. Both approaches ensure to obtain complementary information. Non-targeted approach allows an exhaustive description of the complexity of the sample to be obtained, but it does not allow quantization. In contrast, non-targeted methodology ensures quantization but only on a restricted number of compounds. In contrast to the mass spectrometry targeted methods, the non-targeted approach systematically requires ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry, which allows the global composition of complex mixtures to be accurately detailed. Moreover, the ability of this instrument to be coupled with various ionization sources increases its capability to detect compounds with very different chemical properties and consequently to obtain an accurate description of the investigated sample. Considering the important analytical capacities of this approach, we will present two applications of this method. The first one in the field of environment chemistry for the analysis of particulate matter from different cigarette smokes which are some of the more important indoor pollutants and the second one in the field of the characterization of bio oils produced by pyrolysis of the biomass.