In full-scan operation, the MS detector repetitively scans over a wide mass range throughout the analysis and sends the data to the data system computer.
With the Data Viewer application, you can display the chromatograms (measured intensity versus analysis time) for full-scan MS data in these ways (plot types):
- As a total ion current (TIC) chromatogram. A TIC chromatogram represents the summed intensities of all the ions in the scanned mass range (mass spectrum) plotted against the chromatographic RT. Each peak in the TIC represents one or more eluting compounds, which can be identified from the mass spectra recorded across the peak.
- As a mass chromatogram for a range of masses within the scan range. Mass chromatograms show the ion intensities of selected m/z values. The application extracts these mass spectra from each stored scan and plots them against the analysis time. Use this technique to increase selectivity by displaying an m/z value that is characteristic of the compound of interest but not present in other sample components.
- As a base peak chromatogram. Base peak chromatograms show the ion intensities of the most intense ions for each time point in the chromatogram.