Introduction

Abstract

This book aims to guide the reader through the fascinating world of elemental and isotopic mass spectrometry using magnetic sector field devices. Mass spectrometry has been used since its advent as a tool to investigate challenging scientific questions that could not be tackled with conventional analytical methods before in many different scientific disciplines. As a consequence of the steadily growing interest in mass spectrometry, the increasing number of installed instruments and the massive expansion in augmenting numbers of fields of applications, mass spectrometry has developed steadily into a black box for the common user often having little knowledge about what happens between the sample introduction and the final data provided in electronic form. However, a basic understanding of the technical and analytical factors that might significantly influence the measurement and the final result obtained is crucial to avoid misleading and even wrong interpretations. As a consequence, the target readers of this book are ambitioned novices in elemental and isotopic mass spectrometry as well as the advanced scientist. This chapter is an introductory to the book and highlights the success of magnetic sector field mass spectrometry in analytical chemistry as well as describes the major features of this book.