Milestones in Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry technique development

The present range and power of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry rest on a number of prior technique developments. In this article, selected developments in neutral/ion introduction, ionization methods, excitation/detection, ion trap configuration/operating modes, ion dissociation and MS/MS, ion cooling techniques, theory and data reduction are briefly explained and chronicled. Evidence for the value of these techniques is provided by a compilation of current world records for mass resolution, mass resolving power and mass accuracy. With these capabilities, it becomes possible to resolve and identify up to thousands of components of a complex mixture, often without prior wet chemical separation, thereby potentially changing the whole approach to dealing with chemical and biological complexity. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.