Aerosol propellant interference with clinical mass spectrometers.

Metered dose inhalers containing halogenated propellants may interfere with mass spectrometer quantitation of halogenated inhalation anesthetics. We identify the propellant(s) in a commercially available metered dose inhaler that caused erroneous mass spectrometer readings. In addition, we identify the causes of different types of interference in different mass spectrometers.