An apparatus including an ion injector having an inlet and an outlet and a micro-corona ionizer positioned between the inlet and the outlet of the ion injector. The micro-corona ionizer includes a planar electrode and a sharp knife-edged electrode spaced apart from the planar electrode and positioned with the sharp knife edge pointing toward the planar electrode. A drift and separation channel having a first end and a second end is positioned with the first end coupled to outlet of the ion injector, and an ion detector is coupled to the second end of the ion separation and drift channel. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.