Mass Spectrometry Analysis Services
Identify unknown compounds, additives, impurities and degradation products with GC-MS, LC-MS, HRMS and tailored mass spectrometry analysis services.
What Is Mass Spectrometry Analysis?
Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique that measures ions according to their mass-to-charge ratio.
A sample is first converted into ions. The instrument then separates and detects those ions to provide information about molecular weight, chemical fragments, elemental composition or surface species.
Mass spectrometry is often combined with separation techniques such as gas chromatography or liquid chromatography. This allows individual compounds in a complex mixture to be separated before they are detected.
Depending on the method, mass spectrometry can help determine:
- Which compounds or elements are present
- The molecular weight of a compound
- A possible molecular formula
- The concentration of a target compound
- Whether two samples have different chemical profiles
- Whether impurities or degradation products are present
No single mass spectrometry method is suitable for every sample. Volatility, polarity, molecular weight, thermal stability and required detection limits must all be considered.
What Can Mass Spectrometry Analysis Determine?
Unknown Compound Identification
Mass spectrometry can support the identification of solvents, additives, oils, plasticizers, stabilizers, surfactants, residual monomers, process chemicals and degradation products.
Identification may be based on:
- Molecular weight
- Fragmentation pattern
- Accurate-mass information
- Isotope pattern
- Reference standards
- Spectral-library comparison
Quantitative Analysis
Selected compounds may be quantified when suitable standards, calibration procedures and sample-preparation methods are available.
Results may be reported as:
- Weight percentage
- Concentration in a liquid
- Parts per million
- Parts per billion
- Relative concentration
- Difference from a reference sample
Sample Comparison
Mass spectrometry can compare:
- Approved and alternative suppliers
- Normal and abnormal production batches
- Fresh and aged products
- Original and modified formulations
- Customer and competitor samples
- Failed and known-good materials
This can help identify meaningful chemical differences even when every detected compound cannot be fully identified.
Impurity Analysis
Mass spectrometry can detect low-level organic compounds, trace metals and surface contaminants that may affect product quality or performance.
Typical investigations include:
- Cleaning residues
- Process-related impurities
- Packaging-related contamination
- Supplier-material differences
- Equipment-related contamination
- Unexpected organic residues
- Trace elemental impurities
- New compounds formed during aging
Which Mass Spectrometry Method Fits Your Sample?
GC-MS analysis for solvents, volatile compounds, oils, additives and organic residues is suitable for compounds that can be vaporized without significant decomposition.
Typical applications include:
- Residual solvents
- Volatile organic compounds
- Semi-volatile compounds
- Fragrance and odor components
- Extractable additives
- Lubricant components
- Organic contamination
GC-MS/MS testing for targeted trace compounds in complex samples provides increased selectivity for confirmation and quantification.
It may be used for:
- Trace volatile impurities
- Targeted VOC and SVOC analysis
- Low-level additives
- Residual compounds
- Samples with interfering peaks
LC-MS Analysis Service
LC-MS analysis for non-volatile, polar and thermally sensitive compounds is used when compounds are not suitable for conventional gas chromatography.
Typical targets include:
- Surfactants
- Stabilizers
- Preservatives
- Polar additives
- Process intermediates
- Active ingredients
- Non-volatile degradation products
High-resolution mass spectrometry for accurate-mass analysis and unknown screening can improve confidence in molecular-formula assignment and unknown-compound identification.
It may be used for:
- Accurate molecular-mass measurement
- Molecular-formula assessment
- Non-target screening
- Degradation-product profiling
- Complex chemical-fingerprint comparison
Py-GC-MS analysis for polymers, rubber, cured resins, coatings and adhesives thermally breaks complex organic materials into characteristic fragments before analysis.
It is particularly useful for samples that are:
- Non-volatile
- Insoluble
- Crosslinked
- Cured
- Difficult to extract
- Composed of complex polymer mixtures
ICP-MS analysis for trace and ultra-trace elemental impurities supports quantitative multi-element analysis after suitable sample preparation.
GDMS analysis for ultra-trace elements in high-purity solid materials may be used for metals, alloys, semiconductor materials and other compatible solids.
TOF-SIMS analysis for molecular fragments and trace surface contamination and SIMS analysis for surface and depth-profile composition are used when the material of interest is located on a surface, within a thin layer or across an interface.
Applications include:
- Organic surface films
- Additive migration
- Ionic residues
- Thin coatings
- Interface contamination
- Depth profiling
- Semiconductor materials
GC/Q-TOF Analysis Service
GC/Q-TOF analysis for high-resolution identification of volatile and semi-volatile compounds is useful when conventional GC-MS library matching is insufficient.
How We Plan a Mass Spectrometry Project
1. Review the Sample and Objective
We review the sample type, suspected compounds, expected concentration, available reference samples and the decision the results must support.
2. Select the Analytical Method
The method is selected according to volatility, polarity, molecular weight, thermal stability, sample matrix and required detection limits.
3. Prepare and Analyze the Sample
Preparation may involve extraction, dilution, digestion, headspace sampling, pyrolysis or surface mounting.
4. Interpret the Results
Results from spectra, chromatograms, accurate-mass data or elemental measurements are interpreted in relation to the original project question.
What You Receive
Depending on the project, the report may include:
- Detected and identified compounds
- Molecular-weight or molecular-formula information
- Quantitative or semi-quantitative results
- Chromatograms and mass spectra
- Comparison between samples
- Identification confidence
- Sample-preparation and method details
- Analytical limitations
- Technical interpretation
- Recommended next steps
Mass spectrometry results may also be combined with FTIR, NMR, XRD, TGA or other techniques when additional structural or compositional information is required.
Industries We Serve
Chemicals
Agrochemicals, Industrial Chemicals, Dyes, Lubricants, Polymers, Plastics, Adhesives, Coatings, Rubber, Inks
Energy
Aerospace, Semiconductors, Oil & Gas, Minerals, Biofuels, Battery Materials
Food & Healthcare
Food, Medical Devices, Pharmaceutical
Cosmetics & Personal Care
Cosmetics Disinfection Products
Standard projects: 5–10 working days
Rush service may be available depending on scope.
Why Choose Us for Mass Spectrometry Analysis?
- 7×24 Customer Support: Fast technical response within 24 hours.
- Fast 5–10 Day Delivery: Efficient project turnaround after sample receipt.
- Advanced Lab Capacity: 4,000+ m² R&D labs and 1000+ precision instruments.
- 60,000+ Samples Tested: Rich experience in industrial projects.
- 90%+ Reconstruction Accuracy: Reliable support for suitable deformulation cases.
- R&D Insight: Actionable solutions and production guidance with protected formulas and sample data.
- China Supplier Comparison: Evaluate materials and sourcing alternatives.
FAQs
Can mass spectrometry identify an unknown compound?
It can often identify or narrow the identity of an unknown compound using molecular weight, fragmentation, accurate-mass data and spectral libraries. Complex mixtures may require separation and complementary techniques.
Should I use GC-MS or LC-MS?
GC-MS is generally suitable for volatile and semi-volatile compounds. LC-MS is more suitable for polar, non-volatile or thermally sensitive compounds.
Can mass spectrometry provide quantitative results?
Yes, selected compounds can be quantified when appropriate standards, calibration methods and sample preparation are available.
Can mass spectrometry analyze polymers?
Yes. Extractable additives may be analyzed by GC-MS or LC-MS, while the polymer structure itself may be investigated using Py-GC-MS.
Can mass spectrometry determine a complete product formula?
Mass spectrometry can identify many ingredients, additives and impurities, but it cannot independently reconstruct every component and percentage in a complex formulation. A complete project normally requires several analytical techniques.