Deployable mass spectrometry for rapid on-site bioanalysis

Benchtop liquid chromatography (LC)–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) and benchtop gas chromatography–MS (GC–MS) have been the gold standard in bioanalysis for decades, employed in clinical, forensic, and anti-doping laboratories worldwide. However, traditional instrumentation is subject to limitations that severely restrict the speed at which samples can be analyzed, the ease with which materials can be prepared, and the location where the analysis must be performed. With the advent of ambient ionization and portable mass spectrometers, the ability to perform rapid, on-site analysis is fast becoming a reality. Without the need for extensive sample preparation, analysis times as low as several seconds, and the ability to perform analysis remote from the laboratory, deployable mass spectrometers have the potential to revolutionize bioanalysis. However, several challenges must be tackled before this innovative technology can be widely adopted.