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What is the difference between the principle of soft and hard ionisation in mass spectroscopy? Mention the examples in both cases.

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Soft and hard ionisation are two techniques used in mass spectrometry to ionise molecules for analysis. The key differences between the two are:

  • Principle: The principle of soft ionisation involves ionising molecules with minimal fragmentation, while hard ionisation involves ionising molecules with significant fragmentation.
  • Energy: Soft ionisation methods use lower energy ionisation techniques, while hard ionisation methods use higher energy ionisation techniques.
  • Sample Preparation: Soft ionisation techniques are generally more tolerant to sample preparation variations, while hard ionisation techniques require a more rigorous and controlled sample preparation.
  • Sensitivity: Hard ionisation methods generally have higher sensitivity than soft ionisation methods.
  • Molecular Size: Soft ionisation methods are more suitable for larger molecules, while hard ionisation methods are more suitable for smaller molecules.
  • Complexity: Soft ionisation methods are more suitable for complex mixtures, while hard ionisation methods are more suitable for pure compounds.
  • Fragmentation: Soft ionisation methods result in minimal fragmentation, while hard ionisation methods result in significant fragmentation.
  • Analysis of Fragments: Soft ionisation methods focus on the intact molecular ion, while hard ionisation methods focus on the analysis of fragment ions.
  • Applications: Soft ionisation methods are commonly used in the analysis of biomolecules, while hard ionisation methods are commonly used in the analysis of small organic molecules.
  • Examples: Examples of soft ionisation methods include electrospray ionisation (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation (MALDI). Examples of hard ionisation methods include electron impact ionisation (EI) and chemical ionisation (CI).

In summary, soft ionisation is suitable for the analysis of complex and large biomolecules with minimal fragmentation, while hard ionisation is more suitable for the analysis of smaller molecules with significant fragmentation. The choice of ionisation method depends on the nature of the sample and the desired analytical outcome.

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