Theory and practice of modern instrumental methods used in forensic chemistry laboratories, including mass spectrometry. The class offers an in-depth description of the processes and techniques involved in detection, identification, and quantification of elemental or molecular ionic species by mass spectrometry techniques, and other sensitive analytical techniques. Topics covered in the course include: theory of mass spectrometry, methods of ionization, instrument design, combined chromatography and mass spectrometry, quantitative aspects of mass spectrometry, meta-stable ions in mass spectrometry, recent applications of mass spectrometry techniques, analytical chemistry instrumentation and methods used by forensic scientists for analysis of drugs, toxicology, trace evidence, and sample collection and processing.