ABSTRACT
A number of significant advances have been developed since the analytical chemistry of anionic surfactants was last described in this series, particularly in mass spectrometry. These advances have enabled mass spectrometry to become a primary, routine tool in the identification and characterization of anionic surfactants and mixtures containing the materials. This chapter describes these developments, giving some details of the principles of operation and characteristics of the techniques. The techniques of electron and chemical ionization are referred to above as classical. These are the basic processes that have been used over most of the history of mass spectrometry to form gas-phase ions. In both cases, an analyte molecule is introduced in the gas phase into the ion source of the mass spectrometer. Mass spectrometry has made great contributions to the study and understanding of the chemistry of anionic surfactants and systems containing them. The technique has earned its place in the surfactant scientist’s problem-solving toolbox.
