A New Chapter in GC-MS

Elad Gillon, Bargal Analytical Instruments, Airport City, Israel

Analytical laboratories are under ever-increasing pressure to deliver fast results, while maintaining the highest levels of accuracy and confidence. The majority of these laboratories rely on targeted analytical approaches, using both gas chromatography and liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS) instrumentation. These techniques cover the wide range of chemical classes to be monitored at the required levels of sensitivity and selectivity. However, they are limited to those compounds in the target list and they require careful optimization of acquisition parameters for each compound. High resolution, full scan mass spectrometry using Orbitrap technology provides a solution to:

• The demand for detection and quantification of a growing number of compounds.
• Retrospective analysis of samples long after data acquisition.
• Identification and elucidation of the chemical
• Composition and structure of unknown compounds.

Until now, high resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry has been available only with liquid chromatography and has proven to be a highly valuable analytical technique. Orbitrap mass spectrometry technology has now been coupled to gas chromatography (GC) in the Thermo Scientific™ Q Exactive™ GC hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer system. This novel configuration of a benchtop hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer opens up new possibilities for GC-amenable compounds.