The application of gas chromatography (GC) combined with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (GC–APCI-MS) and with supersonic molecular beam ionization mass spectrometry (GC–SMB-MS).
Soft ionization MS using GC–APCI-MS and GC–SMB-MS offers complementary identification power for the characterization of natural products, as illustrated by the identification of alkanes, sterols, long chain alcohols, and derivatized polar compounds in tobacco leaf extracts described here.