Advanced GCMSMS Analysis using a Novel Ionization Technology and Hybrid Mass Analyzer

Ariovaldo Bisi, Europe and EMT, PerkinElmer, Milan, Italy
Adam Patkin, R&d, Perkinelmer Inc., Shelton (ct), USA

Gaschromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) detection is today’s typical first choice for the analysis of contaminants in complex matrices for environmental protection and food safety applications. This is because of the high sensitivity and selectivity provided by MSMS analyser based on triple-quadrupole technology and electron ionization (EI).
To substantially improve the quality of analysis we adopted a novel ion source based on a different approach to analyte ionization called Cold EI and a qTOF analyser geometry:

• In conventional 70 eV EI molecular ion relative intensity typically decreas with the molecular weight and branching. Some compound classes may produce little or no molecular ions. This behaviour reduces the ability to assign the proper MW to homologues and lowers the sensitivity in MRM acquisition. Using alternative parent ion typically lowers selectivity in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) .Cold EI provides stronger relative intensity molecular ions compared to conventional EI improving the detection and identification of many analytes in complex matrices.s.
• TOF analyser has a much faster spectrum acquisition speed vs. quadrupoles and, if properly designed, has also good sensitivity and linearity. A MSMS analyser based on Q-TOF geometry can improve qualitative information providing the full mass spectrum instead of just 2 MRM ions.

The lecture will cover basics of instrumental technology and report analytical data with specific focus on its application to the analysis of jet fuel and other hydrocarbons.