List of ionization methods in mass spectrometry

This list of ionization methods in mass spectrometry lists all common methods of ionizing molecules in mass spectrometry. The abbreviations given in brackets are commonly used here. This is often combined with the associated device type (e.g. MALDI-TOF ).

Atmospheric pressure methods:

• Electrospray Ionization (ESI)
• Desorption electrospray (DESI)
• Desorption Chemical ionization at atmospheric pressure (DAPCI)
• Chemical ionization at atmospheric pressure (APCI)
• Photoionization at Atmospheric Pressure (APPI)
• Atmospheric pressure laser ionization (APLI)
• Ionization by inductively coupled plasma (ICP)
• Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART)
• Dielectric barrier discharge (DBDI)
• Low Temperature Plasma (LTP)

Low pressure methods:

• Electron impact ionization (EI)
• Chemical ionization (CI)
• Matrix-assisted laser desorption / ionization (MALDI)
• Fast Atom Bombardment (FAB)
• Field desorption (FD)
• Field ionization (FI)
• Photoionization (PI)