[Case Study] Comparison of Ion Sources in Qualitative Analysis of Odorous Components

Comparison of AEI Ion Source and General Ion Sources

Odor analysis is an important analytical theme that is widely conducted not only in food but also in exhaust from equipment, the atmosphere, and the construction field. Among these unpleasant-smelling compounds that humans find distasteful, many have low olfactory thresholds. Technological advancements related to measurement, such as methods for collecting odor compounds, separation in gas chromatography, and the development of detectors, have been rapidly progressing to improve performance. In this context, improvements to ion sources in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) have also been made as part of efforts to enhance sensitivity, with reports indicating sensitivity improvements of more than ten times compared to conventional types in recent years. This application note presents the results of an investigation into how the Advanced EI (AEI) ion source, which has improved sensitivity compared to the standard ion source (Thermo Scientific ExtractaBrite ion source), can provide advantages in qualitative analysis, using geosmin, one of the compounds responsible for unpleasant odors, as an example.

Analytical Equipment and Devices