ESI-HPIMS for Rapid Screening of Food Contaminants

Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) is a gas-phase technique that separates molecules based on their size and shape, whereby the molecule's drift time is a predictive tool for the molecule's MW and structure. An Electrospray Ionization-High Performance Ion Mobility Spectrometer (ESIHPIMS) detected regulated food contaminants in a millisecond to second time-frame. Single ppm levels of phthalates have been detected in food matrices with minimal sample pre-treatment and sub-nanogram quantities can be identified with the instrument, saving both time and method overhead costs. This paper demonstrates the advantages of using a high-resolution ion mobility spectrometer with an electrospray ionization source for the detection of food adulterants.