METHODS FOR MODIFYING MASS SPECTRAL DATA ACQUISITION IN REAL TIME

A mass spectrometry method comprises: isolating a first portion of a selected primary ion species; generating one or more fragment ion species by fragmenting the isolated first portion of the primary ion species; determining mass-to-charge (m/z) values of the fragment ion species; searching a mass spectral database or a mass spectral library for a compound for which a predicted or observed m/z value of a primary ion species matches the selected primary ion species and for which one or more m/z values of fragment ion species that are predicted or observed to be generated by fragmentation of the matched primary ion species m/z value match determined fragment-ion m/z values; determining a measure of success of the search; and causing a mass spectrometer to perform one or more altered or replacement procedures that override pre-planned default procedures based on the determined measure of success.