Common Spurious Signals Observed in Mass Spectrometers

Thomas J. Bruno and Paris D. N. Svoronos

The following table provides guidance in the recognition and Reference
interpretation of potentially spurious signals (m/z peaks) that will
sometimes be observed in measured mass spectra (Ref. 1). Often, 1. Bruno, T. J., and Svoronos, P. D. N., CRC Handbook of Basic Tables for
the occurrence of these signals can be predicted by the recent his- Chemical Analysis, 3rd Edition, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2011.
tory of the instrument or the method being used. This is especially
true if the mass spectrometer is interfaced to a gas chromatograph.

Ions Observed, m/z Possible Compound Possible Source

13, 14, 15, 16 Methane* Chlorine reagent gas
18 Water* Residual impurity, outgassing of ferrules, septa and seals
14, 28 Nitrogen* Residual impurity, outgassing of ferrules, septa and seals; leaking seal
16, 32 Oxygen* Residual impurity, outgassing of ferrules, septa and seals; leaking seal
44 Carbon dioxide* Residual impurity, outgassing of ferrules, septa and seals; leaking seal;
note it may be mistaken for propane in a sample
31, 51, 69, 100, 119, 131, 169, 181, 214, Perfluorotributyl amine This is a common tuning compound; may indicate a leaking valve
219, 264, 376, 414, 426, 464, 502, 576, 614 (PFTBA), and related ions**
31 Methanol Solvent; can be used as a leak detector
43, 58 Acetone Solvent; can be used as a leak detector
78 Benzene Solvent; can be used as a leak detector
91, 92 Toluene Solvent; can be used as a leak detector
105, 106 Xylenes Solvent; can be used as a leak detector
151, 153 Trichloroethane Solvent; can be used as a leak detector
69 Rough (fore) pump fluid, PFTBA Back diffusion of fore pump fluid, possible leaking valve of tuning
compound vial
73, 147, 207, 221, 281, 295, 355, 429 Dimethylpolysiloxane Bleed from a column or septum, often during high temperature
program methods in GC-MS
77, 94, 115, 141, 168, 170, 262, 354, 446 Diffusion pump fluid Back diffusion from diffusion pump, if present
149 Phthalates Plasticizer in vacuum seals, gloves
X – 14 peaks Hydrocarbons Loss of a methylene group indicates a hydrocarbon sample
*
It is possible to operate the analyzer to ignore these common background impurities. They will be present to contribute to poor vacuum if these impurities result from a
significant leak.
**
See the table “Major Reference Masses in the Spectrum of Heptacosafluorotributylamine (Perfluorotributylamine) in this section for additional details.

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