Application of Mass Spectroscopy in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis

Mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful analytical tool with many applications in pharmaceutical and biomedical field. The increase in sensitivity and resolution of the instrument has opened new dimensions in analysis of pharmaceuticals and complex metabolites of biological systems. Compared with other techniques, mass spectroscopy is only the technique for molecular weight determination, through which we can predict the molecular formula. It is based on the conversion of the sample into ionized state, with or without fragmentation which are then identified by their mass-to-charge ratios (m/e). Mass spectroscopy provides rich elemental information, which is an important asset to interpret complex mixture components. Thus, it is an important tool for structure elucidation of unknown compounds. Mass spectroscopy also helps in quantitative elemental analysis, that is, the intensity of a mass spectra signal is directly proportional to the percentage of corresponding element. It is also a noninvasive tool that permits in vivo studies in humans. Recent research has looked into the possible applications of mass spectrometers in biomedical field. It is also used as a sensitive detector for chromatographic techniques like LC–MS, GC–MS and LC/MS/MS. These recent hyphenated technological developments of the technique have significantly improved its applicability in pharmaceutical and biomedical analyses.