Accuracy The closeness of a result to its true value.
Accurate mass The m/z ratio of an ion determined to high accuracy to enable
the elemental composition of the ion to be determined.
Adduct ion An ion arising from the combination of two species, e.g. the molecular
species observed in a positive-ion APCI spectrum is usually an adduct of
the analyte molecule with a species such as H+ , Na+ or NH4
+.
Aerospray An atmospheric-pressure ionization technique in which droplets
are formed from a liquid stream by a combination of heat and a nebulizing
gas and ions are formed by ion evaporation rather than ion–molecule
reactions.
Affinity chromatography A form of chromatography in which separation is
achieved by utilizing highly specific biochemical interactions, such as stericor
charge-related conditions, between the analyte and a molecule immobilized
on a column. It is different from most forms of chromatography in that analytes
do not continuously elute from the column – only those that interact with the
stationary phase are retained and thus separated from other components of
the mixture under investigation. These immobilized materials are eluted from
the column after all other materials have been removed.
Atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization (APCI) An ionization method in
which a liquid stream is passed through a heated capillary and a concentric
flow of a nebulizing gas. Ions are formed by ion–molecule reactions between
the analyte and species derived from the HPLC mobile phase.
Atmospheric-pressure ionization (API) A general