System and method for identifying, selecting and purifying particles

A method for purifying particles, comprising:

• generating charged particles from a sample,
• measuring at least at least one of masses, charge magnitudes and mobilities of the generated charged particles, and
• selectively passing to a collection surface of a particle collection target for collection on the collection surface each of the measured charged particles having at least one of (a) a measured mass equal to a selected mass or within a selected range of particle masses, (b) a measured charge magnitude equal to a selected charge magnitude or within a selected range of charge magnitudes, (c) a mass-to-charge ratio equal to a selected mass-to-charge ratio or within a selected range of mass-to-charge ratios, and (d) a measured mobility equal to a selected mobility or within a selected range of mobilities.

A method for measuring exosomes in a sample preparation, the method comprising:

• generating ions from the sample preparation,
• measuring mass and charge of at least some of the generated ions using a charge detection mass spectrometer, and
• identifying from the measured masses of the at least some of the generated ions a subset of the measured ions that are exosome ions.