title: Ion chromatography-mass spectrometry: a review of recent technologies and applications in forensic and environmental explosives analysis.
abstract: The development and application of ion chromatography (IC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) is discussed herein for the quantitative determination of low-order explosives-related ionic species in environmental and forensic sample types. Issues relating to environmental explosives contamination and the need for more confirmatory IC-MS based applications in forensic science are examined. In particular, the compatibility of a range of IC separation modes with MS detection is summarised along with the analytical challenges that have been overcome to facilitate determinations at the ng-μg L(-1) level. Observed trends in coupling IC to inductively coupled plasma and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry form a particular focus. This review also includes a discussion of the relative performance of reported IC-MS methods in comparison to orthogonal ion separation-based, spectrometric and spectroscopic approaches to confirmatory detection of low-order explosives. Finally, some promising areas for future research are highlighted and discussed with respect to potential IC-MS applications.
authors: Analytical & Environmental Sciences Division, Dept. Forensic & Analytical Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom. Electronic address: leon.barron@kcl.ac.uk.
authors: Leon
authors: L
authors: Barron
authors: Analytical & Environmental Sciences Division, Dept. Forensic & Analytical Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom.
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Gilchrist
mesh_terms: D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D053834:Explosive Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D044707:Forensic Sciences / Q000639:trends*; D007477:Ions / Q000737:chemistry; D013058:Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D053834:Explosive Agents; D007477:Ions
keywords: Anions; Cations; Explosives; Ion chromatography; Mass spectrometry; Oxyhalides