In order to understand the mechanisms involved in the extraction processes developed to separate minor actinides, the "ligand/metallic cation" complexes formed in the organic phases are characterized by electrospray ionization-mass-spectrometry (ESI-MS). This paper deals with the application of the ESI-MS technique to analyze americium complexes in organic solutions. Two extractant systems are investigated : 1/ organic solutions of nitrogen polydentate extractants such as 6,6'-bis(5,6-dialkyl-1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)-2,2'-bipyridines (BTBPs) and 2/ organic solutions composed of mixture of a malonamide and a dialkylphosphoric acid.