5 ms·
I'm not sure any of today's mass spectrometers yet can match human smell in sensitivity, at least to some scents with larger more complex molecules.
by londons_explore 3y ago
I'm not sure any of today's mass spectrometers yet can match human smell in sensitivity, at least to some scents with larger more complex molecules.
- throwawaymaths 3y agoMass specs can detect down to the ten thousands? IIRC or so molecules.
- londons_explore 3y agoBut I don't think they can do that at the same time as having trillions of some other uninteresting molecule like water in them. It's basically a dynamic range problem.
- sseagull 3y agoMass specs would have this problem, yes. That's why they are usually paired with chromatography of some sort (usually GC/MS or LC/MS). The GC or LC more or less reduce a mixture into components, which are fed into the mass spectrometer to analyze what those components are.
- throwawaymaths 3y agoYep the Ms that does this is tethered to chromatography first (sometimes even 2 or 3 different separation schemes in tandem)
- Beijinger 3y ago"with larger more complex molecules." What are "larger, more complex, molecules"? Without trolling, I think scent cuts off at a MW 330 or something.
- kolinko 3y agoBut it's not as good with distinguishing complex organic molecules one from another, no? I.e. between various proteins of a similar size.
- literalAardvark 3y agoMass spectrometry gives results that are a bit like the ingredient lists for food. Tells you precious little about the actual product.
- Beijinger 3y agoYou don't smell proteins.