Introduction to time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry application in chromatographic analysis

New on-line analytical system coupling thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high selective identification unit—time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF–SIMS) is introduced in this article. Chromatographic mixture separation and analyte surface deposition followed with surface TOF–SIMS analysis on-line allows to identify the analytes at trace and ultratrace levels. The selected analytes with different detectability and identification possibility were analysed in this hyphenated unit (Methyl Red indicator, Terpinolen and Giberrelic acid). Here, the chromatographic thin layer plays a universal role: separation unit, analyte depositing surface and TOF–SIMS interface, finally. Two depositing substrates and TOF–SIMS compatible interfaces were tested in above-mentioned interfacing unit: modified aluminium backed chromatographic thin layer and monolithic silica thin layer. The sets of positive and negative ions TOF–SIMS spectra obtained from different SIMS modes of analysis were used for analyte identification purposes. SIMS enables analyte detection with high mass resolution at the concentration level that is not achieved by other methods.