What is spectrométrie de masse?

Mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical technique used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. The results are typically presented as a mass spectrum, a plot of intensity as a function of the mass-to-charge ratio. MS is used to determine the elemental composition of a sample, the masses of particles and of molecules, and to elucidate the chemical structures of molecules, such as peptides and other chemical compounds. It is also used in quantitative analysis, and for studying the fundamental chemical and physical properties of ions in the gas phase.