Direct determination of surfactants on textiles by laser desorption-Fourier transform mass spectrometry

Laser desorption-Fourier transform mass spectrometry was utilized for the determination and quantification of mixtures of ionic surfactants, both neat and from textiles. Sodium dodecyl sulfate and the perdeuterated standard were desorbed from cotton cloth and quantified over a standard: analyte ratio range of 50. A neat C₁₀C₁₄ sodium alkyl benzenesulfonate homolog mixture was also assayed, and selective analyte precipitation on the copper probe from which desorption occurs was found to be a significant factor in causing component discrimination.