Desorption ionization/tandem mass spectrometry with a caesium ion source and a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer

The coupling of a caesium ion source to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer is described. The potential of this combination for examining thermally labile, non-volatile molecules, such as thiamine hydrochloride, is examined. Emphasis is placed on the advantages the various scanning modes of tandem mass spectrometry provide in ion structure elucidation and the investigation of desorption ionization mechanisms. Use of the caesium ion source for desorption of neutral molecules which are chemically ionized by an auxiliary gas is demonstrated. This procedure may be especially useful for examining non-volatile, non-ionic samples.