A mass spectrometry system comprising: a core comprising an ion source, an ion trap, and an ion detector connected along a gas path; a pressure regulation subsystem connected to the gas path and configured to regulate a gas pressure in the gas path; a sample pre-concentrator that comprises an adsorbent material, wherein the sample pre-concentrator is connected to the gas path such that sample particles can leave the adsorbent material through a conduit to enter the core without passing through a flow rate-limiting membrane, a flow rate-limiting valve, a flow rate-limiting filter, or a flow rate-limiting narrowing aperture present between the sample pre-concentrator and the core; and a controller connected to the sample pre-concentrator, wherein during operation of the mass spectrometry system: i) the controller is configured such that at a pressure of between 100 mTorr and 10 Torr, the controller is configured to heat sample particles adsorbed on the adsorbent material to desorb the particles from the adsorbent material and introduce the desorbed particles into the gas path along which the ion source, the ion trap, and the ion detector are connected and a pressure difference between a gas pressure in the sample pre-concentrator and a gas pressure in at least one of the ion source, the ion trap, and the ion detector when the desorbed particles are introduced into the gas path is 6.7 Pascal (50 mTorr) or less; and ii) the pressure regulation subsystem is configured to maintain gas pressures in the ion source, the ion trap, and the ion detector between 100 mTorr and 10 Torr. a core comprising an ion source, an ion trap, and an ion detector connected along a gas path; a pressure regulation subsystem connected to the gas path and configured to regulate a gas pressure in the gas path; a sample pre-concentrator that comprises an adsorbent material, wherein the sample pre-concentrator is connected to the gas path such that sample particles can leave the adsorbent material through a conduit to enter the core without passing through a flow rate-limiting membrane, a flow rate-limiting valve, a flow rate-limiting filter, or a flow rate-limiting narrowing aperture present between the sample pre-concentrator and the core; and a controller connected to the sample pre-concentrator, wherein during operation of the mass spectrometry system: i) the controller is configured such that at a pressure of between 100 mTorr and 10 Torr, the controller is configured to heat sample particles adsorbed on the adsorbent material to desorb the particles from the adsorbent material and introduce the desorbed particles into the gas path along which the ion source, the ion trap, and the ion detector are connected and a pressure difference between a gas pressure in the sample pre-concentrator and a gas pressure in at least one of the ion source, the ion trap, and the ion detector when the desorbed particles are introduced into the gas path is 6.7 Pascal (50 mTorr) or less; and ii) the pressure regulation subsystem is configured to maintain gas pressures in the ion source, the ion trap, and the ion detector between 100 mTorr and 10 Torr. i) the controller is configured such that at a pressure of between 100 mTorr and 10 Torr, the controller is configured to heat sample particles adsorbed on the adsorbent material to desorb the particles from the adsorbent material and introduce the desorbed particles into the gas path along which the ion source, the ion trap, and the ion detector are connected and a pressure difference between a gas pressure in the sample pre-concentrator and a gas pressure in at least one of the ion source, the ion trap, and the ion detector when the desorbed particles are introduced into the gas path is 6.7 Pascal (50 mTorr) or less; and ii) the pressure regulation subsystem is configured to maintain gas pressures in the ion source, the ion trap, and the ion detector between 100 mTorr and 10 Torr.