What Can Be Improved in GC-MS—When Multi Benefits Can Be Transformed into a GC-MS Revolution

Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is a widely used central analytical technology. Commercially available GC-MS systems use different types of mass analyzers such as Quadrupole, Ion Trap and/or Time of Flight, but practically all systems utilize the same Nier type electron ionization (EI) ion source and the same standard GC-MS transfer-line interface. Consequently, the various GC-MS vendors characterize their systems by a short list of specifications that relate to improvements in the technology of GC or of MS and not of the interfacing technology and ion source. This article presents a list of 62 ways in which the performance of GC-MS as a whole can be improved by an innovative interface and ion source. Such an interface can possibly lead to a GC-MS revolution in a way that is similar to that which is brought to Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) by the Electrospray ionization interface and ion source and not by improvements to the technology of LC or MS. These 62 possible GC-MS improvements (grouped into eight main categories) are not merely theoretical as they are provided by the Cold-EI GC-MS interface, which is based on the ionization of vibrationally cold sample molecules in a Supersonic Molecular Beam (SMB) within a flythrough ion source. An explanation and discussion is provided for each of these possible improvements.