A:Recent advances in ambient electrospray ionization technologies

Mass spectrometry is one of the most powerful techniques for detection and identification. Due to its sensitivity and selectivity, exact mass of analytes, and in effect, their relative fragments, allow for total structure information. As so, mass spectrometry has now played a major role in branches such as forensics, academic research, environmental studies, and manufacturing quality control. The most recent technological advances have not been to the body of the mass spectrometer, but rather to the first step only, the ion source. The ionization mechanism has been found to impact a plethora analytical results including, but not limited to, the target analytes to be ionized, the relation between sensitivity and ionization efficiency, and the sample inlet flux in relation to analysis time. This mini review focuses on the latest technologies in ambient ionization of mass spectrometry including desorption electrospray ionization, paper spray ionization, laser ablation electrospray ionization, and direct nano-electrospray ionization.