Methods and apparatus for the ion mobility based separation and collection of molecules

A method for the separation of analyte components in a sample comprising the steps of:

• (a) ionizing the sample of interest comprising two or more analyte components of interest to produce an ionized sample;
• and
• (b) transporting under the influence of an electrical field at least a portion of the ionized sample through a neutral medium containing at least one separating substance, the separating substance interacting with at least one analyte component of interest to a degree different than the separating substance interacts with at least one other analyte component of interest;
• and
• (c) collecting with an ion collector at least a portion of the ionized sample transported through the neutral medium containing the separating substance.

An apparatus for the separation of analyte components in a sample comprising:

• (a) an ionization source;
• (b) an ion mobility separator in fluid communication with the ionization source;
• and
• (c) an ion collector in fluid communication with the ion mobility separator and positioned to receive ions leaving the ion mobility separator.

An apparatus for the ionization of samples comprising:

• (a) at least one primary ionization source;
• (b) at least one secondary ionization source;
• (c) a ionization chamber containing a electric field that guides charged particles from the secondary ionization source into a ionization chamber and/or extracts ionized analyte components from the ionization chamber;
• (d) at least one sample inlet;
• (e) a gas flow that carries neutral analyte components;
• (f) at least one analyzer in fluid communication with the ionization chamber.

A method for the ionization of samples comprising the steps of:

• (a) introducing a sample into a ionization chamber;
• (b) ionizing the sample by a primary ionization source;
• (c) ionizing a neutral sample in a gas flow by a secondary ionization source;
• and
• (e) extracting an ionized sample into an analyzer with a electric field.