Abstract:
A method and apparatus for analyzing samples using mass spectrometry are disclosed. The apparatus includes a reaction device configured to dissociate sample ions into fragments by reacting the sample ions with a charged species (e.g., electrons) such as through ECD, EID, or EIEIO. The kinetic energy of the charged species is such that the fragments may be detected and produce spectra that allow for the determination of isomeric species in the sample and the location of double bonds of sample molecules. The fragments may include radical fragments and non-radical fragments. The apparatus may also include an oxygen gas source configured to react with the radical fragments to produce oxygen-radical fragments. Spectra resulting from analysis of the fragments may allow for the determination of the oxygen-radical fragments resulting from the dissociation of the sample molecules.
Abstract:
Labeling reagents, sets of labeling reagents, and labeling techniques are provided for the relative quantitation, absolute quantitation, or both, of ketone or aldehyde compounds including, but not limited to, analytes comprising steroids or ketosteroids and includes testosterone. The analytes can be medical or pharmaceutical compounds in biological samples. Methods for labeling, analyzing, and quantifying ketone or aldehyde compounds are also disclosed as are methods that also use mass spectrometry.
Abstract:
Labeling reagents, sets of labeling reagents, and labeling techniques are provided for the relative quantitation, absolute quantitation, or both, of ketone or aldehyde compounds including, but not limited to, analytes comprising steroids or ketosteroids. The analytes can be medical or pharmaceutical compounds in biological samples. Methods for labeling, analyzing, and quantifying ketone or aldehyde compounds are also disclosed as are methods that also use mass spectrometry.
Abstract:
Systems and methods are provided for time-of-flight analysis of a continuous beam of ions by a detector array. A sample is ionized using an ion source to produce a continuous beam of ions. An electric field is applied to the continuous beam of ions using an accelerator to produce an accelerated beam of ions. A rotating magnetic and/or electric field is applied to the accelerated beam to separate ions with different mass-to-charge ratios over an area of a two-dimensional detector using a deflector located between the accelerator and the two-dimensional detector. An arrival time and a two-dimensional arrival position of each ion of the accelerated beam are recorded using the two-dimensional detector. Alternatively, an electric field that is periodic with time is applied in order to sweep the accelerated beam over a periodically repeating path on the two-dimensional rectangular detector.
Abstract:
Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting compounds in a sample using a tandem mass spectrometer. A sample comprising a plurality of detectable compounds that have been separated in time over a time interval is introduced into a tandem mass spectrometer. A sample product ion spectra is obtained. The presence of one or more known compounds of interest in the sample product ion spectra is determined. A compound is identified as present in the sample if the score associated with said compound meets a threshold value set as indicative of the likely presence of the compound in the sample.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for multiplexed precursor ion selection are provided. A mass isolator includes a selection region of rods, a transmission region of rods, and a barrier electrode lens separating the selection and transmission regions. Two or more different precursor ions are selected by applying two or more different AC voltage frequencies to rods of a selection region in order to resonate the two or more different precursor ions from a continuous beam of ions. The two or more different precursor ions are transmitted by applying a DC voltage to the barrier electrode lens, creating an electric field potential barrier over which only the resonating ions are transmitted. Precursor ions of product ions from combined product ion spectra produced by multiplexed precursor ion selection are identified by grouping the target precursor ions.
Abstract:
A method for analyzing a sample that contains a plurality of lipid isomers is described that involves forming one or more lipid metal ion adducts and transporting the one or more lipid metal ion adducts through a differential mobility spectrometer to cause separation of the one or more lipid metal ion adducts from each other. The lipid isomers can be chosen, for example, from fatty acids, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, saccharolipids, polyketides, sterol lipids, and prenol lipids. Particular examples include phosphatidylcholine regioisomers such as 1-palmatoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) and 1-oleoyl-2-palmatoyl-sn-phosphatidylcholine and triacylglycerols containing palmetic and oleic acid groups. The metal chosen can include a cationization reagent that contains sodium, potassium, silver or lithium.
Abstract:
Systems and methods are provided for correcting uniform detector saturation of a mass analyzer using a calibration curve. In one method, a measured spectrum is received from a mass analyzer that includes a detector and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) detector subsystem and that analyzes a beam of ions produced by an ion source that ionizes molecules of a sample using a processor. A total ion value of the measured spectrum is calculated by summing intensities of ions in the measured spectrum using the processor. A correction factor is determined by comparing the total ion value to a stored calibration curve that provides correction factors as a function of total ion values using the processor. Intensities of the measured spectrum are multiplied by the determined correction factor producing a corrected measured spectrum using the processor.
Abstract:
Systems and methods are provided for analyzing a sample using overlapping measured mass selection window widths. A mass range of a sample is divided into two or more target mass selection window widths using a processor. The two or more target widths can have the same width or variable widths. A tandem mass spectrometer is instructed to perform two or more fragmentation scans across the mass range using the processor. Each fragmentation scan of the two or more fragmentation scans includes a measured mass selection window width. The two or more measured widths of the two or more fragmentation scans can have the same width or variable widths. At least two of the two or more measured mass selection window widths overlap. The overlap in measured mass selection window widths corresponds to at least one target mass selection window width.
Abstract:
A mass analysis system including a low pressure dissociation region and a differential mobility spectrometer. The differential mobility spectrometer including at least one pair of filter electrodes defining an ion flow path where the filter electrodes generate an electric field for passing through a selected portion of the sample ions based on the mobility characteristics of the sample ions. The differential mobility spectrometer also includes a voltage source that provides DC and RF voltages to at least one of the filter electrodes to generate the electric field, an ion inlet that receives sample ions that have passed through the low pressure dissociation region, and an ion outlet that outputs the selected portion of the sample ions. A mass spectrometer receives some or all of the selected portion of the sample ions.