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Updated: Jul 30, 2026

Atmospheric-pressure Molecular Imaging of Biological Tissues and Biofilms by LAESI Mass Spectrometry
Published on: September 3, 2010
Surface mass spectrometry of molecular species
L Hanley1, O Kornienko, E T Ada
1Department of Chemistry, m/c 111, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 W. Taylor St., 4500 SES, Chicago, Illinois 60607-7061, USA. lhanley@uic.edu
Abstract:
This tutorial discusses the predominant methods available for surface mass spectrometry (MS) of molecular species: thermal desorption spectroscopy, laser desorption MS, secondary ion MS, post-ionization of desorbed neutrals and surface matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization. Each of these has the capability to analyze molecular species that are chemisorbed, physisorbed, covalently bound to or the predominant component of a solid surface. These surface MS methods are briefly described, then their capabilities demonstrated using data predominantly from the authors' work. Comparisons are made with related methods in conventional MS. A very brief discussion is provided on the importance of complementing surface MS data with data from x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and other surface analysis tools.
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