What kind of radiation is used in mass spectroscopy?

During mass spectroscopy, the most commonly used type of radiation is ionizing radiation. This is a form of radiation that has sufficient energy to remove tightly bound electrons from atoms, resulting in the generation of ions. Different types of ionizing radiation are used in mass spectroscopy, such as electron ionization and electrospray ionization. In electron ionization, a high-energy electron beam is used to bombard the sample molecules. This beam causes the ejection of electrons from molecules, forming positively charged ions. EI is typically used in GC-MS and generates a fragmentation pattern that helps in compound identification. Electrospray ionization involves the formation of ions from a liquid sample. The sample is infused through either a capillary or fine needle and high voltage is utilized to generate a charged aerosol. The charged droplets then evaporate and gas-phase ions are formed. ESI is typically used in LC-MS for analysis of proteins and small molecules.