Definition of mass spectrometry
: an instrumental method for identifying the chemical constitution of a substance by means of the separation of gaseous ions according to their differing mass and charge
— called also mass spectroscopy
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Examples of mass spectrometry in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, the team found a ton of the usual bad smell offenders.
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Max G. Levy, Wired, 3 June 2021
As part of this second step, the team ran each sample through gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, a chemical analysis technique that gives a molecular-level breakdown of compounds.
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Prachi Patel, Scientific American, 4 Mar. 2021
Researchers used laboratory techniques like gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify 16 chemical compounds that create the enticing aroma, per Gizmodo.
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Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 May 2021
The team took small samples from the black spot and analyzed them with X-ray fluorescence, synchrotron radiation powder x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and gas chromatography mass spectrometry, among other methods.
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Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 28 Dec. 2020
Using a technique called mass spectrometry, Robinson and his colleagues studied the chemical composition of four of the bundles and found the compounds scopolamine and atropine—the same chemical mixture that’s found in datura.
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Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, 24 Nov. 2020
Moreover, multimodality approaches, for example, combining mass spectrometry with scanning and imaging devices, help distinguish between benign versus malignant states.
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Members Of The Oncology Think Tank, Scientific American, 8 Jan. 2021
Then, a technique called gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is used to separate and identify each chemical compound to create something like a recipe, or a template for historians.
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Star Tribune, 25 Dec. 2020
As many as 1,500 to 2,800 chemicals would leach out and, using high-resolution mass spectrometry, the team methodically identified and analyzed these compounds.
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Rosanna Xia Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mass spectrometry.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Statistics for mass spectrometry
Last Updated
14 Jun 2021
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“Mass spectrometry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mass%20spectrometry. Accessed 9 Aug. 2021.
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Time Traveler for mass spectrometry
The first known use of mass spectrometry was in 1926
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