Abstract:
The disclosed method and apparatus couple a membrane interface directly to a mass spectrometer at atmospheric pressure. The membrane may be in capillary or sheet form and allows the introduction of a liquid or gaseous sample to one side of the membrane while the other side of the membrane is bathed with a solution that can easily be used in an atmospheric pressure ionization source. Volatile molecules permeate through a suitable membrane such as poly-dimethyl silicone (PDMS), mix into the appropriate solvent, and are ionized. Because of the rules governing abstracts, this abstract should not be used in construing the claims.
Abstract:
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for separation of rare stable or radioactive isotopes from their atomic or molecular isobars in mass spectrometry (MS). In the present invention, the approach taken to removing atomic isobars utilizes a high transmission device for decelerating ions in combination with low energy reactions, such as ion-molecule reactions or near resonant electron transfer, in RF ion guides. The isobar is selectively depleted by electron transfer or other reactions between negative ions and gaseous targets in pressurized RF ion guides at low energies. The energy is controlled in such a way as to prevent reaction of the ion of interest while inducing reactions with the undesired isobar interference. The technique is of particular relevance to accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) for which it allows substantial reductions in the necessary terminal voltage. The effect is to allow reductions in the size and cost of AMS installations.
Abstract:
The invention provides a method of analyzing hydrogen isotope, especially a method of confirming hydrogen/deuterium exchange in constructions of biological samples and determining the percentage of deuterium in biological samples. The method comprises the following steps: selecting a matrix, mixing uniformly the prepared biological sample with a suitable amount of the matrix, then lyophilizing; the lyophilized mixture burns completely with an oxidant, so hydrogen in the mixed sample is oxidized into water; after separating, the water obtained reacts with zinc to produce hydrogen gas; then measuring H/ H ratio in hydrogen gas by a gas isotope mass spectrograph; calculating the percentage of deuterium in biological samples increases, the biological properties, mainly thermostabilization, of samples will change obviously. By determining the percentage of deuterium for biological samples with the optimal thermostabilization and the optical deuterium treatment conditions for biological samples, the stability of biological samples such as polypeptide will improve. The method is simple and easy to operate, with good reproducibility and low costs.
Abstract:
A method and an apparatus for determining a concentration of a target analyte in a sample of bodily fluid are disclosed. The method comprises providing a sample of bodily fluid including the target analyte, providing an internal standard solution including a mixture of components comprising a plurality of isotopes of the target analyte, wherein a concentration of each isotope is unknown, adding the internal standard solution to the sample, analyzing the sample including the internal standard solution by means of a mass spectrometer, creating a sample function curve based on signal intensities, wherein the signal intensities define arbitrary units, transferring an analyte signal into a corresponding arbitrary analyte unit by means of the sample function curve, and transferring the arbitrary analyte unit into the concentration of a target analyte by means of a standardization function representing a curve of concentrations depending on the arbitrary units.
Abstract:
A combined distance-of-flight mass spectrometry (DOFMS) and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) instrument (100) includes an ion source configured to produce ions having varying mass-to-charge ratios, a first detector (112) configured to determine when each of the ions travels a predetermined distance, a second detector (114) configured to determine how far each of the ions travels in a predetermined time, and a detector extraction region (110) operable to direct portions of the ions either to the first detector (112) or to the second detector (114).
Abstract:
A method of isolating 99Mo produced using a (n, ) reaction according to example embodiments may include vaporizing a source compound containing 98Mo and 99Mo. The vaporized source compound may be ionized to form ions containing 98Mo and 99Mo. The ions may be separated to isolate the ions containing 99Mo. The isolated ions containing 99Mo may be collected with a collector. Accordingly, the isolated 99Mo may have a relatively high specific radioactivity and, in turn, may be used to produce the diagnostic radioisotope, 99mTc, through radioactive decay.
Abstract:
A method for analyzing data from a mass spectrometer includes the steps of acquiring raw mass spectral data in a profile mode (510); generating a peak list containing one of peak mass locations and peak mass ranges (510C) and being representative of candidate ions (510G); calculating a theoretical mass spectral isotope profile for each of the candidate ions (510H); forming a different peak component matrix for each of the candidate ions identified (510); performing regression analysis involving the peak component matrix for each of the candidate ions and the acquired profile mode data (510J); and ranking the candidate ions with a fitting statistic with that ion corresponding to the most significant statistic being the most likely candidate ion present (510K).
Abstract:
A method and associated apparatus for in-process automated analysis employing a modified form of isotope dilution mass spectrometry is disclosed. It involves elemental and speciation threshold measurement that is optimized for quality assurance at and is capable of functioning at and near quantitative instrumental detection limits. The system is automated and may be employed in an unattended operation for identification and quantification of elemental or specie contaminants. In a preferred aspect of the method, a sample is subjected to equilibration with at least one spiked enriched stable isotope element or specie (38) after which it is subjected to ionization in an atmospheric ion generator (32) and processed by a microprocessor which through a controller (20), coordinates operation of sample and spike delivery and equilibration as well as, the operation of the atmospheric ion generator and mass spectrometer (36). The method may in the alternative be employed qualitatively.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a method of sample preparation for use in obtaining elemental isotope ratios of a material by accelerator mass spectrometry. The method comprises forming the material into a sample without any substantial chemical alteration of the material. The invention also provides a sample for use in obtaining elemental isotope ratios of a material.
Abstract:
A multipole ion guide (40) which begins in one pumping stage (53) and extends continuously into one or more subsequent pumping stages (41, 42) has been incorporated into an atmospheric pressure ion source mass spectrometer system. Ions delivered into vacuum from an electrospray, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization or inductively coupled plasma ion source are guided and focused into a mass analyzer (57) with high efficiency using the multipole ion guide. The background pressure over a portion of the multipole ion guide length is high enough to cause kinetic energy cooling of ions traversing the ion guide length due to ion collisions with neutral background gas molecules. This ion kinetic energy cooling lowers energy spread of ions traversing the multipole ion guide length. The multipole ion guide DC offset potential can be used to adjust the mean ion energy and the ion guide a and q values can be set to reduce or expand the range of ion mass to charge which will be transmitted through the ion guide. These features of multipole ion guides and multiple pumping stage multipole ion guides are used to improve performance and lower the cost of atmospheric pressure ion source mass spectrometer instruments.