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

Mass Analyzers: Common Types

Mass Analyzers: Common Types

The quadrupole mass analyzer consists of four cylindrical metal rods arranged in a diamond carrying a DC voltage and a radio-frequency AC voltage. The motion of ions through the quadrupole depends on the field strength, causing only ions of a certain m/z to resonate successfully and strike the detector at a given field strength. Though the transmission rate for these analyzers is high, the exact elemental composition of the sample is not determined because of low resolution; however, they are...

Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Tandem mass spectrometry is a technique that uses multiple mass analyzers in series to obtain a higher selectivity and reduce chemical noise during analyte detection. Instruments with multiple analyzers separated by an interaction cell enable secondary fragmentation and selected study of the fragment ions.Secondary fragmentations occur in the interaction cell and can be induced by various factors. Fragmentation induced by collision with inert gases, such as N2, Ar, He, etc., is called...

Mass Spectrometry: Complex Analysis

Mass Spectrometry: Complex Analysis

Mass spectrometry is an important technique for the identification of pure compounds. However, it has some limitations for the analysis of complex mixtures, often due to excessive fragmentation making the spectrum too complicated to decipher. Mass spectrometry can be combined with suitable separation methods in sequence, forming hyphenated methods, which are useful in the analysis of complex mixtures.
GC–MS is a powerful hyphenated method commonly used in forensics and environmental...

Gas Chromatography: Types of Detectors-II

Gas Chromatography: Types of Detectors-II

In gas chromatography, different detectors are employed to meet specific analytical needs. These detectors are often categorized based on their detection mechanisms and the types of compounds they are best suited to analyze. Thermal Conductivity Detectors (TCD), Flame Ionization Detectors (FID), and Electron Capture Detectors (ECD) represent common categories, each with unique operating principles and applications. However, beyond these, several other detectors are designed for more specialized...

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...

Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS)

Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS)

Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) is the combination of analytical techniques of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry in a single instrument for analyzing a mixture of compounds. The gas chromatograph separates the compounds in the mixture, and the mass spectrometer analyzes each compound separately to determine the molecular masses and molecular structures.
A gas chromatograph consists of a long, narrow capillary column with a polysiloxane coating on the inner wall. The coating...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

A Portable Dual Mass Spectrometry Strategy for On-Site Monitoring of Accumulation Effects and Exposure Risks of Insecticides during Chikungunya Epidemics.

Analytical chemistry·2026

Same author

Wooden-Tip Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Combined With Machine Learning for Differentiating Thyroid Tumours.

Analytical science advances·2026

Same author

Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Exercise-Induced Breath Metabolites, Lipids, and Proteins Using Wearable Cold-Mask Sampling.

Analytical chemistry·2026

Same author

Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry for Detection of α/β-Chain Changes From Human Hemoglobin: An Exploratory Study.

Analytical science advances·2025

Same author

Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry for In Vivo Dermatopharmacokinetic Study of Skin Drugs by Touch Sampling.

Journal of mass spectrometry : JMS·2025

Same author

Onsite Analysis of Complex Samples Using Miniature Mass Spectrometry With Direct Sampling and Ionization.

Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM·2025

Same journal

Machine Learning-Assisted Label-Free SERS Decoding of Mitochondrial Molecular Dynamics in Ovarian Granulosa Cells during Aging.

Analytical chemistry·2026

Same journal

Revealing the Regulatory Interplay of NHE1 mRNA and Na<sup>+</sup> in Cancer Cells Using a DNA Nanosensor.

Analytical chemistry·2026

Same journal

Towards Cellular Resolution of Tryptic Peptides in Tissue Sections by MALDI MS Imaging: A Focus on Enzyme Application and Reproducibility.

Analytical chemistry·2026

Same journal

Bioinspired Bilayer Hydrogel Colorimetric Sensor Array for Low-Temperature Food Freshness Analysis.

Analytical chemistry·2026

Same journal

Quartz Crystal Microbalance-Based Point-of-Care Testing Systems: Principles, Device Design, and Applications.

Analytical chemistry·2026

Same journal

Heterojunction Gate-Empowered OPECT Aptasensing: A Valid Protocol for Realizing High Current Gain at Low Electron Donor Dependency.

Analytical chemistry·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

PTR-ToF-MS Coupled with an Automated Sampling System and Tailored Data Analysis for Food Studies: Bioprocess Monitoring, Screening and Nose-space Analysis

PTR-ToF-MS Coupled with an Automated Sampling System and Tailored Data Analysis for Food Studies: Bioprocess Monitoring, Screening and Nose-space Analysis

Published on: May 11, 2017

Portable Mass Spectrometry Combined with Robotic Sampling Arrays for Locating Pollutant Sources Using the

Yang Yang¹, Wen Li¹, Zhishuang Liu¹

¹College of Environment and Climate, and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for On-line Source Apportionment System of Air Pollution, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.

Analytical Chemistry

|June 24, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

A new robot-mass spectrometry system can locate hazardous volatile organic compound (VOC) emission sources in dangerous indoor areas. This unmanned system uses a trilateration method for accurate and remote detection, enhancing safety.

More Related Videos

Automated, High-resolution Mobile Collection System for the Nitrogen Isotopic Analysis of NOx

Automated, High-resolution Mobile Collection System for the Nitrogen Isotopic Analysis of NO_x

Published on: December 20, 2016

Deployment and Retrieval of Mineral Samplers

Deployment and Retrieval of Mineral Samplers

Published on: January 20, 2026

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 26, 2026

PTR-ToF-MS Coupled with an Automated Sampling System and Tailored Data Analysis for Food Studies: Bioprocess Monitoring, Screening and Nose-space Analysis

PTR-ToF-MS Coupled with an Automated Sampling System and Tailored Data Analysis for Food Studies: Bioprocess Monitoring, Screening and Nose-space Analysis

Published on: May 11, 2017

Automated, High-resolution Mobile Collection System for the Nitrogen Isotopic Analysis of NOx

Automated, High-resolution Mobile Collection System for the Nitrogen Isotopic Analysis of NO_x

Published on: December 20, 2016

Deployment and Retrieval of Mineral Samplers

Deployment and Retrieval of Mineral Samplers

Published on: January 20, 2026

Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Robotics
Analytical Chemistry

Background:

Portable mass spectrometry (MS) is vital for identifying volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Locating VOC emission sources in hazardous environments is difficult due to safety risks of manual operation.
Unmanned systems are needed for remote monitoring in inaccessible areas.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop an unmanned robot-MS system for locating VOC emission sources.
To integrate a trilateration method for precise source determination.
To assess the system's effectiveness in various indoor environments.

Main Methods:

Developed an unmanned robot integrated with three remote sampling devices and a portable mass spectrometer.
Employed a trilateration method using geographic coordinates and geometric algorithms to calculate distances between sampling sites.
Collected and analyzed trace VOCs from different locations arranged in a triangular configuration.

Main Results:

The robot-MS system successfully located both single and mixed VOC emission sources.
Achieved low localization error, demonstrating high sensitivity and reproducibility.
Validated the system's capability in diverse indoor field environments.

Conclusions:

The developed robot-MS system offers a promising solution for hazardous VOC emission source localization.
Enables remote and safe detection in inaccessible environments.
Enhances environmental monitoring and safety protocols.