Fundamentals of present-day mass spectrometry

Mass spectral analysis offers much to the field of clinical pharmacology: specificity, sensitivity, reliability, and potential for the structural determination of unknown compounds, even when they are present at very low concentrations as part of complex mixtures. In order to employ mass spectrometry effectively, the researcher or analyst must acquire an understanding of the fundamental processes involved in the technique and some overview of the strengths and limitations of the different options now available. This brief summary is presented as an introduction to the field and should provide the impetus for further reading by the interested investigator.