ABSTRACT
This chapter is an introduction to the application of ambient mass spectrometry techniques (ambient MS) for food and environmental analysis. Ambient MS techniques are considered a powerful tool for direct analysis of samples with minimal or without any sample preparation prior to the mass spectrometric analysis, features that are very attractive for environmental and food laboratories. Beside the two first introduced, desorption electrospray (DESI) and direct analysis in real time (DART), a wide range of new ambient MS techniques have been developed until now. In this chapter, the classification of this group of techniques is discussed based on the intrinsic desorption/ionization mechanisms that take place. Moreover, the main characteristics that differentiate each technique based on both the fundamentals and the physical designs are also presented. Additionally, since minimal sample handling is sometimes required, in this chapter the reasons and strategies regarding sample processing are also included. Finally, the applicability and the method performance of the ambient MS techniques mainly used in environmental and food analysis are presented.
