Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2026

Fizzy Extraction of Volatile Organic Compounds Combined with Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry
Published on: July 14, 2017
Unexpected observation of ion suppression in a liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass
Tim Sangster1, Mike Spence, Peta Sinclair
1AstraZeneca, DMPK Alderley, Alderley Park, Macclesfield SK10 4TG, UK. timothy.sangster@astrazeneca.com
Abstract:
Ion suppression is a well-known phenomenon in electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. These suppression effects have been shown to adversely affect the accuracy and precision of quantitative bioanalytical methods using ion spray. Such suppression effects have not been as well defined in atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and there is some debate whether these effects actually occur in the ionization process using APCI. Here an example is described where clear ion suppression was observed during studies on a model compound and three metabolites using APCI liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS).
Related Concept Videos
Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS): Interferences
Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (ICP–MS): Overview
Electrospray Ionization (ESI) Mass Spectrometry
ESI utilizes electrical energy to transfer ions from the liquid phase of the sample into the...
Chemical Ionization (CI) Mass Spectrometry
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: Types of Detectors
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: Interference
Spectral interference occurs when signals from other elements or molecules overlap with the analyte signal, falsely elevating or masking the analyte's absorbance. This interference can be corrected using Zeeman,...

