Through the headspace approach, gaseous DNT isomers, including TNT, were injected into the DBD ion source. Figure depicts the helium DBD ion source . depending on the ion source pressures. The lower the ion source pressure provided the better the LODs, while the poorer LODs were obtained at the higher the ion source pressure. An airassisted glow discharge can produce a wide range of spectral patterns, which could be beneficial for detecting TNT and TNT-related explosives. As a result, the proposed variable ion source pressure HCD can be used in the real world to detect and quantify nitroaromatic explosives at trace-to ultra-trace levels in combination with an ion trap mass spectrometer using air as a carrier gas.