Liquid Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer (LC/MS)

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry is an analytical chemistry technique that combines the physical separation capabilities of liquid chromatography with the mass analysis capabilities of mass spectrometry. LC-MS is a powerful technique used for many applications which has very high sensitivity and specificity. Generally its application is oriented towards the specific detection and potential identification of chemicals in the presence of other chemicals (wikipedia.org). At Hope College, students and faculty in the GES department use the LC/MS for the quantitative detection and identification of potential pharmaceutical contaminants in groundwater.