Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Electrospray Ionization (ESI) Mass Spectrometry

Electrospray Ionization (ESI) Mass Spectrometry

Higher molecular weight biomolecules are nonvolatile compounds that may decompose before ionizing or vaporizing during mass analysis with conventional electron impact ionization methods. Accordingly, electrospray ionization (ESI) is the favored method for vaporizing and ionizing biomolecules as it circumvents rapid fragmentation and enables the recording of mass signals for the entire biomolecule.
ESI utilizes electrical energy to transfer ions from the liquid phase of the sample into the...

Chemical Ionization (CI) Mass Spectrometry

Chemical Ionization (CI) Mass Spectrometry

The molecular ion peak of a molecule in the mass spectrum provides vital information for molecular identification. However, conventional electron impact ionization can lead to the rapid dissociation of some molecular ions before they reach the detector. A milder ionization method is required to increase the lifetime of such ionized analyte molecules. Chemical ionization (CI) is a gas-phase protonation reaction useful for mass-analyzing analyte molecules that are easily protonated to yield the...

Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (ICP–MS): Overview

Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (ICP–MS): Overview

In inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP–MS), an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) torch is used as an atomizer and ionizer. Solid samples are dissolved and volatilized before being introduced into the high-temperature argon plasma, while solution samples are nebulized and passed through the high-temperature argon plasma. Plasma dissociates the analytes and ionizes their component atoms to form a mixture of positive ions and molecular species. The positive ions are then passed on to...

Ion-Exchange Chromatography

Ion-Exchange Chromatography

Ion-exchange chromatography, or IEC, is a technique for separating ions based on their affinity for the stationary phase. The stationary phase is a cross-linked polymer resin with covalently attached ionic functional groups. The functional groups can be either positively charged (cation exchangers) or negatively charged (anion exchangers). A cation exchanger consists of a polymeric anion and active cations, while an anion exchanger is a polymeric cation with active anions. The choice of...

Mass Spectrometry: Cycloalkane Fragmentation

Mass Spectrometry: Cycloalkane Fragmentation

In mass spectrometry, cycloalkanes exhibit distinct fragmentation patterns due to the inherent stability of their molecular ions compared to linear or branched alkanes. The ring structure of cycloalkanes provides additional stability to the molecular ions, often resulting in prominent ion peaks in the mass spectrum.
For example, cyclohexane molecular ions have a mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) of 84, which tends to produce a stronger signal than linear alkanes like hexane. This stability comes from...

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: Elution Process

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: Elution Process

In High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), the elution process is critical to the separation of analytes and the quality of chromatographic results. Elution describes how compounds move through the column and separate based on their interactions with the mobile and stationary phases. This process determines the resolution, peak shape, and retention times in the chromatogram, which are essential for identifying and quantifying components in complex mixtures. Understanding the elution...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Controlled Amine-Borane Dehydropolymerization Enabled by Mechanistic Insight Using the Ir(<sup>t</sup>Bu-POCOP)H<sub>2</sub> Catalyst.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026

Same author

Is the Signal Worth the Noise? A Practical Guide to Charge-Tagging for ESI-MS Reaction Monitoring.

ACS organic & inorganic Au·2026

Same author

Faster, simpler, and more precise calibration curves: Expanding the scope of continuous calibration.

Analytica chimica acta·2026

Same author

An electrospray-active N-heterocyclic carbene ligand for real-time analysis of organometallic reactions.

Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)·2025

Same author

Protonation Effects on the Benzoxazine Formation Pathways and Products Distribution.

Chemphyschem : a European journal of chemical physics and physical chemistry·2024

Same author

Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry of 4-aryl-3,4-dihydrocoumarins.

Journal of mass spectrometry : JMS·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Analysis of Volatile and Oxidation Sensitive Compounds Using a Cold Inlet System and Electron Impact Mass Spectrometry

Analysis of Volatile and Oxidation Sensitive Compounds Using a Cold Inlet System and Electron Impact Mass Spectrometry

Published on: September 5, 2014

Ionic liquids enable electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry in hexane.

Matthew A Henderson¹, J Scott McIndoe

¹Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3065, Victoria, BC V8W 3V6, Canada.

Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England)

|September 30, 2006

Summary

Adding a lipophilic ionic liquid to hydrocarbon solvents enables electrospray ionization mass spectrometry analysis for dissolved substances. This technique expands the capabilities of mass spectrometry for non-polar samples.

More Related Videos

Synthesis of Ionic Liquid Based Electrolytes, Assembly of Li-ion Batteries, and Measurements of Performance at High Temperature

Synthesis of Ionic Liquid Based Electrolytes, Assembly of Li-ion Batteries, and Measurements of Performance at High Temperature

Published on: December 20, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Analysis of Volatile and Oxidation Sensitive Compounds Using a Cold Inlet System and Electron Impact Mass Spectrometry

Analysis of Volatile and Oxidation Sensitive Compounds Using a Cold Inlet System and Electron Impact Mass Spectrometry

Published on: September 5, 2014

Synthesis of Ionic Liquid Based Electrolytes, Assembly of Li-ion Batteries, and Measurements of Performance at High Temperature

Synthesis of Ionic Liquid Based Electrolytes, Assembly of Li-ion Batteries, and Measurements of Performance at High Temperature

Published on: December 20, 2016

Area of Science:

Analytical Chemistry
Physical Chemistry

Background:

Non-polar solvents like hexane and toluene are challenging for traditional electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.
Analysis of dissolved analytes in hydrocarbon matrices often requires specialized techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

To enable electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) analysis of analytes dissolved in non-polar hydrocarbon solvents.
To introduce a novel approach using lipophilic ionic liquids to facilitate ESI-MS in challenging solvent systems.

Main Methods:

Addition of a lipophilic ionic liquid to non-polar solvents (hexane, toluene).
Analysis of dissolved analytes using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.
Characterization of the solvent-additive system's compatibility with ESI-MS.

Main Results:

Successful electrospray ionization mass spectrometry analysis of analytes dissolved in hexane and toluene was achieved.
The lipophilic ionic liquid acted as a crucial additive, enabling ionization in non-polar media.
Demonstrated the feasibility of using this method for a wider range of analytes and solvent systems.

Conclusions:

Lipophilic ionic liquids are effective additives for performing ESI-MS in non-polar hydrocarbon solvents.
This method expands the applicability of ESI-MS to analytes previously difficult to analyze.
Offers a new strategy for mass spectrometry analysis in challenging organic solvent environments.