System and Method for Characterizing a Chemical Sample

A method for characterizing a sample containing at least one compound, preferably a biological sample comprising at least one metabolite, is proposed. In a first process step, a three-dimensional first set of data is generated by analyzing the sample by using at least one time resolved separation technique ( 214 ) and at least mass one resolved separation technique ( 216 ). The set of data comprises at least one signal I as a function of a mass variable over a first range of measurement ( 420 ) and of a time variable over a second range of measurement ( 422 ). In a second process step, the first range of measurement ( 420 ) is divided into at least two mass variable intervals ( 424 ). For each mass variable interval ( 424 ), an extracted signal is selected, wherein the extracted signal is a function of the time variable. In a third process step, the second range of measurement ( 422 ) is divided into at least one time variable interval ( 426 ). At least one characteristic value is selected for each time variable interval ( 426 ) and for each extracted signal. Thus, a characteristic sample profile is generated, which comprises the at least one characteristic value as a function of the respective time variable interval ( 426 ) and of the respective mass variable interval ( 424 ).