Mobile Mass Spectrometers Market Assessment, By Type [Handheld, Portable], By Application [Environmental Testing, Food and Beverage Analysis, Forensic Testing, Homeland Security, Military, Others], By Region, Opportunities and Forecast, 2018-2032F

Global mass spectrometers market is projected to witness a CAGR of 12.12% during the forecast period 2025-2032, growing from USD 522.20 million in 2024 to USD 1304.06 million in 2032. The growth of the market is supported by the increasing focus on technological advancements, rising industrial activities, and requirements from forensic science, along with growing environmental concerns. The market is also expected to experience significant growth in the coming years due to the increasing applications of the devices across multiple sectors. Mobile mass spectrometers offer a portable and compact solution for the identification and analysis of different chemical compounds, increasing their utilization across a wide range of domains.

Mobile mass spectrometers are utilized by forensic researchers for the identification and screening of both unknown and known substances, supporting the expansion of the global mobile mass spectrometers market. Over the past few decades, direct analysis in real-time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) has become increasingly popular among the forensic science community as mass spectrometry aids researchers in measuring the mass-to-charge ratio when the molecules hit the detector and gain information about them by ionizing them. Due to the portability offered by mobile mass spectrometers, they are preferred by chemists pursuing the detection of chemical weapons and the identification of drugs.

Additionally, increasing investments in environmental protection positively influence the market’s expansion. The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s FY 2024 budget included USD 1.4 billion for advancing its efforts in protecting the environment and human health from the harmful effects of air pollution. Such measures are expected to bolster the demand for various environmental monitoring and analyzing tools and services, including mobile mass spectrometers, and augment market growth.

Increasing Emphasis on Food Testing Boosts Market Demand

The growing threat of food contamination and increasing health concerns associated with the consumption of contaminated food and beverages is one of the major factors supporting the global mobile mass spectrometers market growth. According to the estimates of the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 1 in 10 people across the globe gets infected after consuming contaminated food, and an estimated 420,000 individuals die each year because of contaminated food. Due to the growing complexities of food supply chains, stringent regulations, and increasing consumer awareness, the requirement for advanced analytical equipment such as mobile mass spectrometers is surging to ensure the quality of food products, providing lucrative growth opportunities to the market. Over the past few years, consumer awareness about food safety has increased significantly, encouraging companies to regularly test food products and beverages to ensure that the end product does not contain contaminants. Due to the portable nature of mobile mass spectrometers, they are deployed to test food products across various stages of the food supply chain, from inspection of raw materials to complete analysis of the finished product.

Increasing Investments Towards Narcotics Detection Support Market Expansion

The rising activities and investments by various government organizations to support the detection of narcotics are propelling market growth. The increasing focus on narcotics detection can be attributed to the rising incidences of drug overdose, increasing public health concerns, and technological advancements, among others. Timely detection of narcotics and early intervention is essential for the management of the opioid crisis that is grappling with a significant portion of various regions. Mobile mass spectrometers offer versatility and real-time and on-site analysis, allowing law enforcement professionals to analyze the suspected products on-site, make quick decisions and take immediate actions. Additionally, these tools also eliminate the costs associated with laboratory analysis and sample transportation, increasing the economic efficiency of narcotic detection processes.

Environmental Testing Accounts for a Significant Share of the Market

The rising requirement for mobile mass spectrometers for environmental testing can be attributed to the increasing demand for accurate, on-site, and real-time analysis of environmental samples. Mass spectrometers aid in analyzing and detecting trace amounts of pollutants in samples and have various applications in environmental research studies and analysis. High-resolution mass spectrometry coupled with targeted gas chromatography is one of the most common methods deployed for testing the presence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). POPs pose a great challenge for two major reasons including resistance to degradation and rapidly dispersible nature, mainly by water and wind, making their regulation one of the major challenges on a global scale.

Additionally, the increasing adoption of stringent environmental regulations and investments towards environmental protection by various countries across the globe is further driving the demand for advanced analytical tools such as mobile mass spectrometers. As per the estimates of Eurostat, the European Union invested approximately USD 69 billion (€66.6 billion) towards environmental protection in 2023.

North America Holds Major Market Share

The rapid growth of the mobile mass spectrometers market in North America is supported by the easy acceptance of novel technologies and growing efforts of various government organizations to effectively manage the narcotics crisis and improve environmental conditions. Additionally, mobile mass spectrometers are being deployed in several countries across the region to detect toxic drugs. For instance, in March 2023, a new mobile mass spectrometer was housed at Sunshine House, Inc. in Winnipeg, Canada. The machine can analyze various types of samples and contains a library of thousands of chemicals to compare with.

Additionally, the rapid growth of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries in the region is also providing lucrative growth opportunities to the market. As per the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), North America accounted for 53.3% of global pharmaceutical sales in 2023. This increase is expected to propel the market’s demand as the pharmaceutical industry requires rapid analysis of chemical compounds to ensure that the produced drugs have the required quality and are compliant with regulatory standards.

Future Market Scenario (2025 – 2032F)

As per the global mobile mass spectrometers market analysis, the market is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period due to the growing demand for real-time monitoring solutions and rising investments in technological advancements. The integration of advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) with mobile mass spectrometers is expected to support efficient operations and further boost the market’s growth. Additionally, the continuous efforts of the market's key players to support technological innovations, including miniaturization, are also expected to provide lucrative growth opportunities to the market. Miniaturization of components is expected to boost the development and availability of devices with greater portability and lighter weight, allowing for their utilization in challenging and remote locations, including deep sea research and disaster response.

Furthermore, the rising concerns about environmental pollution and regular deployment of environmental testing are also expected to bolster the demand for mobile mass spectrometers in the coming years. The increasing emphasis on reducing pollution and environmental sustainability is also expected to augment the adoption of environmental testing as it is essential for measuring the impact of various factors on environmental conditions and safeguarding the health of individuals. This increases the requirement for mobile mass spectrometers as they aid in completing on-site analysis of various samples and eliminate the requirement for transporting samples for testing.

Key Players Landscape and Outlook

The market's growth is propelled by the increasing efforts of the market players to strengthen the availability of scientific equipment across different countries. For instance, in September 2024, PerkinElmer Inc. and Emphor DLAS, a subsidiary of Centena Group partnered together to introduce the former’s analytical solutions in Qatar and the UAE. With this collaboration, Emphor positioned itself as the official distributor for products and services provided by PerkinElmer in mass spectrometry, thermal analysis, molecular spectroscopy, hyphenated techniques, chromatography, and atomic spectroscopy. These solutions cater to the requirements of a wide range of industries such as environmental sciences, oil, power, food, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, among others.

Additionally, the increasing efforts of different industrial technology companies to introduce novel products and technologies are also supporting the expansion of the mobile mass spectrometers market. For instance, in September 2023, Spectaire Holdings Inc. rolled out mobile mass spectrometers for measuring emissions in real time. The company’s AireCore is one of the first fully integrated software, hardware, and data solutions to allow for the real-time monitoring and management of emissions. The internet-connected and battery-powered mobile mass spectrometer can be easily mounted on a temporary fixture on the back of the truck and can collect samples with the help of a small probe from the tailpipe of the truck for testing molecular air composition.