Ion-trap multiple mass spectrometry in pesticide analysis

Abstract

Liquid chromatography multiple mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure ionisation and ion-trap instruments is a potentially useful technique for structure elucidation of polar pesticides and their degradation products. The major drawback today is the lack of spectral libraries and our limited knowledge on collision induced dissociation processes. The present paper gives an introduction to this area of research and presents interesting examples of fragmentation pathways for protonated and deprotonated ions obtained by atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation (APCI) and electrospray ionisation (ESI).