Mass-spectrometric observation of С$^{+}$ ions during electrospray with in-source atomization

Carbon С$^{+}$ ions formed in a mass-spectrometric electrospray source with controlled in-source fragmentation and atomization interface have been observed for the first time. The measurements were performed in a special MI-20 LowMass mass spectrometer (MS-Bio LLC) using aqueous methanol solutions of lithium and beryllium salts. The peak of С$^{+}$ ions was substantially broadened as compared to the peaks of metal ions. A model is proposed that explains the formation of С$^{+}$ ions due to charge exchange immediately at the high-vacuum boundary near the skimmer output.