Neutral losses - Ardia Data Viewer - Neutral losses - Ardia Data Viewer

The different m/z values in a mass spectrum can indicate the different ions that the parent molecule lost during fragmentation. Common losses include neutral losses, where the parent molecule loses a small or large molecule. For example, looking at the mass spectrum of acetone (see the figure in Base peak), you can see a loss of 15 Da (the difference between the precursor ion peak, m/z 58, and the peak at m/z 43). This indicates the loss of a methyl group (15 Da) from the original molecule. A subsequent loss of 28 Da corresponds to the loss of CO.

The following table lists common neutral losses (Da) and the corresponding chemical formula with that mass.

In some cases, you might not clearly observe a molecular ion owing to extensive fragmentation. The lack of a molecular ion makes it difficult to determine the monoisotopic mass or the structure of your compound.