Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry
A hybrid technique in which compounds separated by gas chromatography are identified by a mass spectrometer.
Unit
Dimensionless
In depth
Each component is characterised by both its retention time and its full mass spectrum, and the spectrum is matched against a library of hundreds of thousands of reference entries. The double criterion makes identification about as certain as any analytical method allows.
Examples in the real world
Confirming banned substances in anti-doping tests; identifying trace pollutants in environmental samples.