GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry)

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is an analytical technique used to identify and quantify chemicals in a sample. First, the sample is vaporized and injected into a chromatograph, where it’s separated into individual components based on their interactions with a coating inside a long, narrow tube. These separated compounds then enter a mass spectrometer, which breaks them into charged fragments and measures their unique mass-to-charge ratios. The combined data allow precise identification and quantification of each component, making GC-MS a powerful tool in fields like toxicology, environmental analysis, and food safety.