Final answer:
The statement that Gas Chromatography (GC) can be coupled with Mass Spectrometry (MS) is true. The combined technique, known as GC-MS, is an essential tool in forensic science, environmental analysis, and drug development, and utilizes the strengths of both methods to identify and analyze compounds within a sample.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Gas Chromatography (GC) can be coupled with Mass Spectrometry (MS) is true. This analytical method, known as GC-MS, combines the features of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify different substances within a test sample. Gas chromatography separates the components of a mixture and mass spectrometry provides structural identity to these components by analyzing their mass-to-charge ratio. GC-MS is widely employed in various fields such as forensic science, environmental analysis, and pharmacokinetics during drug discovery and development (DDD) programs.
In detail, during GC-MS analysis, the GC first separates the different compounds present in the sample by passing it through a column. The separated compounds are then introduced into the MS where they are ionized, usually by electron impact. These ionized molecules are subsequently separated based on their mass-to-charge ratios and detected. The generated mass spectrum provides information about the molecular weight and structure of the components.
GC-MS has numerous applications, including analyzing fire debris to determine the cause of a fire, identifying illegal drugs in law enforcement, detecting explosives in security, and identifying and quantitating drugs and their metabolites in biological samples for medicinal applications. More specialized techniques like LC-Q-TOF MS add further capabilities in these areas, particularly in providing high throughput and resolution for complex biological samples.