Mass Spectrometry Forum - Masses in Mass Spectrometry: Perfluors and More

Part II of this four-part series on mass calibration looks at the chemical compounds used as mass calibrants in mass spectrometry.

Corrections belong up front. Part I of this column series included a description of mass scales and units, exhorting readers and users to pay attention to basics. An essential part of basics is good proofreading, a skill that seems to have deserted this author in preparing Part I. Table II in Part I (Spectroscopy 19[11], 32–34 [2004]) lists the exact mass for 13C incorrectly as 13.993355. I considered assigning the blame for such an egregious error to electronic voting machines (it was, after all, an election year, and an election month), or fat fingers on the keyboard, but instead I admit to sloppiness and apologize for the error. The correct value for the exact mass of 13C is 13.003355.My thanks to the readers who notified me of the error and demanded a recount. This second installment in the series deals with the chemical compounds used as mass calibrants in mass spectrometry. A preview of this topic appeared in Mass Spectrometry Forum in June 1994.While the underlying need for mass calibration in mass spectrometers has not changed, the expansion of more specialized instruments into higher mass ranges, the use of diverse and different ionization methods,

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