Abstract
Ions are not organisms, and thus they do not proliferate by either sexual or asexual reproduction. They are hence incapable of being parents, children, or grandchildren. Therefore, the terms “parent ion,” “daughter ion,” and “granddaughter ion” are scientifically incorrect. In addition, mass spectrometrists should note that the terms “daughter ion” and “granddaughter ion” are gender-specific. (The terms “daughter nuclide” and “granddaughter nuclide” are also gender-specific.)
Therefore, the terms “parent ion” and “daughter ion” need to be replaced by “precursor ion” and “product ion,” respectively. Instead of the gender-specific terms “granddaughter ion” and “great-granddaughter ion,” the gender-neutral terms “second generation product ion” and “third generation product ion” should be used.
