Integrating ambient ionization with miniature mass spectrometry to advance green analytical chemistry: An overview

Abstract

Green analytical chemistry (GAC), as a manifestation of sustainable development in the analytical field, has become widely recognized and is actively promoted by analysts. The twelve principles of GAC serve as guiding standards for the development of green analytical methods. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a fundamental tool in modern analytical chemistry, and its miniaturized variants have gained significant attention in green chemistry due to their unique advantages. Ambient ionization, a novel technique designed to overcome the limitations of traditional ionization methods, reduces or eliminates the need for sample pretreatment, greatly simplifying the front-end processes in MS analysis. The combination of ambient ionization and miniature MS has become one of the most promising areas of green analysis due to its complementary benefits in reducing solvent use, energy consumption, and the need for sample preparation. This review highlights the green aspects of ambient ionization and miniature MS, emphasizing the enhanced sustainability achieved when the two techniques are used together. Applications of this combination in various fields are also discussed, underscoring their growing importance in GAC.