Innovation in experimental teaching practice based on miniature mass spectrometer： from mass spectrometry principles to applications

Mass spectrometer is an important component of the instrumental analysis courses in higher education. However， conventional commercial mass spectrometers usually lead to an imbalance between theory and practice in teaching， because of their characteristics of large size， high price and complicated operations， which makes it difficult to establish a direct link between instrument structure and detection principles. The miniature mass spectrometer shares the same core principles as commercial mass spectrometers. Equipped with an atmospheric pressure ionization （API） source， it significantly reduces sample preparation requirements， and enables rapid analysis of complex samples. The unique capability of the linear ion trap mass analyzer to scan， store， and eject ions enables a dramatic reduction in instrument size. The miniature ion funnel transmission technology and atmospheric pressure continuous sampling interface ensure high repeatability and rapid analysis， allowing compatibility with various atmospheric pressure ion sources for diverse sample types. In terms of performance， the miniature mass spectrometer has a mass-to-charge （m/z） scan range of 50-2 000， and supports tandem mass spectrometry （MSⁿ）， enabling structural analysis of common organic compounds and rapid testing of complex samples. Therefore， the miniature mass spectrometer becomes an ideal tool for experimental teaching. This teaching course has developed a "three-dimensional integrated" teaching system aimed at enhancing students' knowledge， abilities， and literacy. Firstly， students disassemble key components of the instrument such as the ion source， ion funnel and trap to understand how they work together to achieve sample ionization， transmission， and acquisition. Mass calibration and full scan test help students master the basic operation. By adjusting the radio frequency （RF） voltage parameters， students could observe the impact of different parameters on the experimental results. Secondly， selected ion monitoring and tandem MS analysis help enhance students' data analysis skills and further develop their abilities in structural confirmation of compounds with MS. Lastly， pharmaceutical ingredient analysis， blood drug testing and multi-component screening of traditional Chinese medicine comprehensively demonstrate the wide applications of MS in scientific research and daily life， aiming to cultivate students' research thinking and problem-solving abilities. The gradient experiments （from basic calibration to advanced MS n ） combined with practical applications have effectively driven the implementation of the offline teaching course. The suggested experimental class hours are 12， covering pre-class preparation， in-class hands-on practice， data acquisition， and post-class summary. Practice has demonstrated that this integrated "structure-principle-application" teaching model effectively bridges the knowledge chain from theoretical learning to practical application， and significantly enhances students' innovative thinking and ability to solve complex analytical problems， better preparing them to meet the requirements of modern scientific research and industrial applications. Additionally， instructional reflections and feasible teaching optimizations are necessary based on the teaching effects and feedback. This comprehensive learning experience provides students with invaluable inspiration and guidance， and lays a solid foundation for them to enter the field of scientific research， having successfully cultivated talent with practical abilities and innovation literacy， and achieving the intended teaching objectives.