Book excerpt: A definitive reference, completely updated Published in 1989, the First Edition of this book, originally entitled Quadrupole Storage Mass Spectrometry, quickly became the definitive reference in analytical laboratories worldwide. Revised to reflect scientific and technological advances and new applications in the field, the Second Edition includes new chapters covering: * New ion trap instruments of high sensitivity * Peptide analysis by liquid chromatography/ion trap tandem mass spectrometry * Analytical aspects of ion trap mass spectrometry combined with gas chromatography * Simulation of ion trajectories in the ion trap One additional chapter discusses the Rosetta mission, a "comet chaser" that was sent on a ten-year journey in 2004 to study the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko using, among other instruments, a GC/MS system incorporating a specially designed ion trap mass spectrometer. This comprehensive reference also includes discussions of the history of the quadrupole ion trap, the theory of quadrupole mass spectrometry, the dynamics of ion-trapping chemistry in the quadrupole ion trap, the cylindrical ion trap, miniature traps, and linear ion traps. Complete with conclusions and references, this primer effectively encapsulates the body of knowledge on quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry. With its concise descriptions of the theory of ion motion and the principles of operation, Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry, Second Edition is ideal for new users of quadrupole devices, as well as for scientists, researchers, and graduate and post-doctoral students working in analytical laboratories.