Identifying Polymer Extract Components wth EI and CI GC-HRTOFMS

This application note demonstrates the use of high-resolution, accurate mass electron impact ionization (EI) and chemical ionization (CI) time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) for the identification of components in polymer extracts. The study highlights the advantages of combining EI for library comparisons and CI for enhanced molecular ion detection, enabling robust formula determinations for molecular, adduct, and fragment ions. The methodology effectively characterizes a variety of compounds, including methylated cyclosiloxane homologs, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), diisocyanates, and lactones, demonstrating the utility of this approach in quality control and identification of adulterants in polymer materials.