Patent ID: 7220383

Claim:
An in-process ratio mass spectrometry system, comprising: a sample extraction module adapted to extract a predetermined volume of sample from a process bath; a spike reservoir; a spike dilution apparatus coupled to the spike reservoir and configurable to dilute a spike from the spike reservoir having a first concentration to produce a known volume of processed spike having a diluted second concentration; a mixer coupled to the spike dilution apparatus and the sample extraction module, the mixer being configurable to mix the known volume of processed spike and known volume of extracted sample having at least one analyte to permit equilibration therebetween; an atmospheric pressure ionizer (API) coupled to the mixer and configurable to ionize the equilibrated extracted sample and processed spike to produce ions; a mass spectrometer coupled to the API and configurable to process the ions by ratio determination; and a control system adapted to automatically configure the sample extraction module, the spike dilution apparatus, the mixer, the API, and the mass spectrometer such that the sample is automatically extracted, mixed with the processed spike, ionized, and processed by to mass spectrometer, the control system being further configured to use the ratio measured by the mass spectrometer to characterize the concentration of the at least one analyte in the extracted sample.