Parallel Valet Parking: Selective Ion Escape over an AC Barrier During Ion/ion Reactions in a Quadrupole Linear Ion Trap.

The rectilinear ion trap (RIT) has gradually become one of the preferred mass analyzers for portable mass spectrometers because of its simple configuration. In order to enhance the performance, including sensitivity, quantitation capability, throughput, and resolution, a novel RIT mass spectrometer with dual pressure chambers was designed and characterized. The studied system constituted a quadrupole linear ion trap (QLIT) in the first chamber and a RIT in the second chamber. Two control modes are hereby proposed: Storage Quadrupole Linear Ion Trap-Rectilinear Ion Trap (SQLIT-RIT) mode, in which the QLIT was used at high pressure for ion storage and isolation, and the RIT was used for analysis; and Analysis Quadrupole Linear Ion Trap-Rectilinear Ion Trap (AQLIT-RIT) mode, in which the QLIT was used for ion storage and cooling. Subsequently, synchronous scanning and analysis were carried out by QLIT and RIT. In SQLIT-RIT mode, signal intensity was improved by a factor of 30; the limit of quantitation was reduced more than tenfold to 50 ng mL-1, and an optimal duty cycle of 96.4% was achieved. In AQLIT-RIT mode, the number of ions coexisting in the RIT was reduced, which weakened the space-charge effect and reduced the mass shift. Furthermore, the mass resolution was enhanced by a factor of 3. The results indicate that the novel control modes achieve satisfactory performance without adding any system complexity, which provides a viable pathway to guarantee good analytical performance in miniaturization of the mass spectrometer.

The quadrupole ion trap is constructed of three electrodes that, when held at appropriate potentials, cause the formation of a trapping pseudo‐potential well so that charged particles, or gaseous ions, may be confined or stored for long periods of time. The two end‐cap electrodes resemble saucers while the ring electrode resembles a napkin ring; all of the electrodes are of hyperbolic geometry. The ion trap itself functions as a mass spectrometer when the ion‐confining conditions are modified such that ions are ejected mass‐selectively from the trapping potential well. As ions of successive mass/charge ratios are ejected in turn from the ion trap, they impinge upon an external detector whereby ion signals are created in proportion to the ion number of each species; in this manner, a mass spectrum is generated. The QITMS (quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer) is an extraordinary instrument in that it is physically small (the entire electrode assembly can be held in the palm of one's hand) compared with magnetic and electric sector instruments, it is relatively inexpensive, it is one of the most, if not the most, sensitive mass spectrometers and, since several mass‐selective operations can be carried in succession, the ion trap can function as a tandem mass spectrometer. Tandem mass spectrometric operation is described as (MS)n. With the QITMS, (MS)nis carried out in time in the same volume of space whereas (MS)nin sector instruments is carried out in space. With sector instruments, the maximum value ofnisn = 4 yet with the ion trap, (MS)nwheren = 4–6 can be carried out routinely andn = 13 has been achieved. The QITMS shares several similarities with the ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer yet the cost of the former is about one‐tenth that of the latter. One striking difference between the QITMS and all other mass spectrometers is that the QITMS operates at a pressure of 10−3 Torr compared with 10−6–10−9 Torr for other mass spectrometers.The theory of ion confinement and ion trajectory manipulation in the QITMS has been explained relatively simply so far. Since the theory differs widely from those of sector instruments and ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ICR/MS), it will not be familiar to those who have not had the opportunity to examine ion motion in quadrupole fields. Optimum operation of the QITMS is effected by collisional focusing of the ion cloud to the center of the ion trap under the influence of helium buffer gas. Since the movement of ions confined in the ion trap is periodic, the trajectories of collisionally focused ions can be expanded by resonance excitation effected by the imposition of supplementary radio frequency (rf) potentials of low amplitude to the end‐cap electrodes of the ion trap. This excitation operation permits isolation of selected ion species, by ejection of unwanted ion species, followed by selective ion/molecule reaction or by collision‐induced dissociation (CID) with subsequent mass analysis of the product/fragment ions formed. Sample calculations are given of all of the relevant trapping parameters. Applications of the QITMS as a single stage mass spectrometer and as a tandem mass spectrometer are discussed. The operation of the QITMS for the identication of Dioxins and furans co‐eluting from a gas chromatograph is described. In addition, the application of chemical ionization (CI) for the identification of co‐eluting polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners is discussed. The QITMS is an extraordinary instrument that is capable of great sensitivity, high mass range and high mass resolution. Since the QITMS is compatible with methods for generating ions externally, such as electrospray ionization (ESI), its continued growth in many areas of mass spectrometry (MS) is assured.

The quadrupole ion trap (QIT) is constructed of three electrodes that, when held at appropriate potentials, cause the formation of a trapping pseudo‐potential well so that charged particles, or gaseous ions, may be confined or stored for long periods of time. The two end‐cap electrodes resemble saucers while the ring electrode resembles a napkin ring; all of the electrodes are of hyperbolic geometry. The ion trap itself functions as a mass spectrometer when the ion‐confining conditions are modified such that ions are ejected mass‐selectively from the trapping potential well. As ions of successive mass/charge ratios are ejected in turn from the ion trap, they impinge upon an external detector whereby ion signals are created in proportion to the ion number of each species; in this manner, a mass spectrum is generated. The QITMS (quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer) is an extraordinary instrument in that it is physically small (the entire electrode assembly can be held in the palm of one's hand) compared with magnetic and electric sector instruments, it is relatively inexpensive, it is one of the most, if not the most, sensitive mass spectrometers and, since several mass‐selective operations can be carried in succession, the ion trap can function as a tandem mass spectrometer. Tandem mass spectrometric operation is described as (MS) n . With the QITMS, (MS) n is carried out in time in the same volume of space whereas (MS) n in sector instruments is carried out in space. With sector instruments, the maximum value of n is n = 4 yet with the ion trap, (MS) n where n = 4–6 can be carried out routinely and n = 13 has been achieved. The QITMS shares several similarities with the ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer yet the cost of the former is about one‐tenth that of the latter. One striking difference between the QITMS and all other mass spectrometers is that the QITMS operates at a pressure of 10 −3 Torr compared with 10 −6 to 10 −9 Torr for other mass spectrometers. The theory of ion confinement and ion trajectory manipulation in the QITMS has been explained relatively simply so far. Since the theory differs widely from those of sector instruments and ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ICR/MS), it will not be familiar to those who have not had the opportunity to examine ion motion in quadrupole fields. Optimum operation of the QITMS is effected by collisional focusing of the ion cloud to the center of the ion trap under the influence of helium buffer gas. Since the movement of ions confined in the ion trap is periodic, the trajectories of collisionally focused ions can be expanded by resonance excitation effected by the imposition of supplementary radio frequency (rf) potentials of low amplitude to the end‐cap electrodes of the ion trap. This excitation operation permits isolation of selected ion species, by ejection of unwanted ion species, followed by selective ion/molecule reaction or by collision‐induced dissociation (CID) with subsequent mass analysis of the product/fragment ions formed. Sample calculations are given of all of the relevant trapping parameters. Applications of the QITMS as a single stage mass spectrometer and as a tandem mass spectrometer are discussed. The operation of the QITMS for the identification of dioxins and furans co‐eluting from a gas chromatograph is described. In addition, the application of chemical ionization (CI) for the identification of co‐eluting polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners is discussed. The QITMS is an extraordinary instrument that is capable of great sensitivity, high mass range and high mass resolution. Since the QITMS is compatible with methods for generating ions externally, such as electrospray ionization (ESI), its continued growth in many areas of mass spectrometry (MS) is assured. The structural details of the glycoprotein and the optical spectroscopy of stored ions are applications of the QITMS combined with ESI, while the ion trap in combination with a metal‐cluster aggregation source has been used for an electron diffraction study.

The quadrupole ion trap (QIT) is constructed of three electrodes that, when held at appropriate potentials, cause the formation of a trapping pseudo-potential well so that charged particles, or gaseous ions, may be confined or stored for long periods of time. The two end-cap electrodes resemble saucers while the ring electrode resembles a napkin ring; all of the electrodes are of hyperbolic geometry. The ion trap itself functions as a mass spectrometer when the ion-confining conditions are modified such that ions are ejected mass-selectively from the trapping potential well. As ions of successive mass/charge ratios are ejected in turn from the ion trap, they impinge upon an external detector whereby ion signals are created in proportion to the ion number of each species; in this manner, a mass spectrum is generated. The QITMS (quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer) is an extraordinary instrument in that it is physically small (the entire electrode assembly can be held in the palm of one's hand) compared with magnetic and electric sector instruments, it is relatively inexpensive, it is one of the most, if not the most, sensitive mass spectrometers and, since several mass-selective operations can be carried in succession, the ion trap can function as a tandem mass spectrometer. Tandem mass spectrometric operation is described as (MS)n. With the QITMS, (MS)n is carried out in time in the same volume of space whereas (MS)n in sector instruments is carried out in space. With sector instruments, the maximum value of n is n = 4 yet with the ion trap, (MS)n where n = 4–6 can be carried out routinely and n = 13 has been achieved. The QITMS shares several similarities with the ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer yet the cost of the former is about one-tenth that of the latter. One striking difference between the QITMS and all other mass spectrometers is that the QITMS operates at a pressure of 10−3 Torr compared with 10−6 to 10−9 Torr for other mass spectrometers. The theory of ion confinement and ion trajectory manipulation in the QITMS has been explained relatively simply so far. Since the theory differs widely from those of sector instruments and ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ICR/MS), it will not be familiar to those who have not had the opportunity to examine ion motion in quadrupole fields. Optimum operation of the QITMS is effected by collisional focusing of the ion cloud to the center of the ion trap under the influence of helium buffer gas. Since the movement of ions confined in the ion trap is periodic, the trajectories of collisionally focused ions can be expanded by resonance excitation effected by the imposition of supplementary radio frequency (rf) potentials of low amplitude to the end-cap electrodes of the ion trap. This excitation operation permits isolation of selected ion species, by ejection of unwanted ion species, followed by selective ion/molecule reaction or by collision-induced dissociation (CID) with subsequent mass analysis of the product/fragment ions formed. Sample calculations are given of all of the relevant trapping parameters. Applications of the QITMS as a single stage mass spectrometer and as a tandem mass spectrometer are discussed. The operation of the QITMS for the identification of dioxins and furans co-eluting from a gas chromatograph is described. In addition, the application of chemical ionization (CI) for the identification of co-eluting polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners is discussed. The QITMS is an extraordinary instrument that is capable of great sensitivity, high mass range and high mass resolution. Since the QITMS is compatible with methods for generating ions externally, such as electrospray ionization (ESI), its continued growth in many areas of mass spectrometry (MS) is assured. The structural details of the glycoprotein and the optical spectroscopy of stored ions are applications of the QITMS combined with ESI, while the ion trap in combination with a metal-cluster aggregation source has been used for an electron diffraction study.

Computer simulations of electrospray ionization (ESI) and collision-induced dissociation (CID) experiments were employed to examine the informing power associated with "top-down" proteomics implemented with some commonly used mass analyzers, i.e., the quadrupole ion trap (QIT), the Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICRMS), and the time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer. Using a ratio of the separated (or resolved) peaks to the total number of predicted peaks as a measure of informing power, the ESI-MS simulation of a mixture of proteins showed that the FT-ICRMS exhibited the highest informing power among the three instruments being studied, with the QIT giving the lowest informing power, which was expected from the analysis of the "component capacity" of the three approaches. Also as expected on the basis of resolving elements per component, a dramatic increase in the informing power of the approach was obtained when ion/ion proton-transfer reactions were used to reduce the number of peaks and to minimize overlap between ions of different mass and charge but similar mass-to-charge ratio. With the assumptions made in this study, the informing power of the TOF + ion/ion approach rivaled or even exceeded that of the FT-ICRMS approach, despite significantly lower mass resolution. This result stemmed from both a reduction in the number of peaks and their dispersion over a much wider range of mass-to-charge ratios. Similar results were obtained from the CID simulation, where the informing power of different approaches was evaluated on the basis of the ratio of the number of ions for which a mass could be determined unambiguously to the total number of ions in the spectra.

Proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry is a relatively new field that has attracted a great deal of interest in the last few years. This technique uses H(3)O(+) as a chemical ionization (CI) reagent to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the parts per billion by volume (ppbv) to parts per trillion by volume (pptv) range. Mass spectra acquired with a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) are simple because proton transfer chemical ionization is "soft" and results in little or no fragmentation. Unfortunately, peak identification can still be difficult due to isobaric interferences. A possible solution to this problem is to couple the PTR drift tube to an ion trap mass spectrometer (ITMS). The use of an ITMS is appealing because of its ability to perform MS/MS and possibly distinguish between isomers and other isobars. Additionally, the ITMS duty cycle is much higher than that of a linear quadrupole so faster data acquisition rates are possible that will allow for detection of multiple compounds. Here we present the first results from a proton transfer reaction ion trap mass spectrometer (PTR-ITMS). The aim of this study was to investigate ion injection and storage efficiency of a simple prototype instrument in order to estimate possible detection limits of a second-generation instrument. Using this prototype a detection limit of 100 ppbv was demonstrated. Modifications are suggested that will enable further reduction in detection limits to the low-ppbv to high-pptv range. Furthermore, the applicability of MS/MS in differentiating between isobaric species was determined. MS/MS spectra of the isobaric compounds methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) and methacrolein (MACR) are presented and show fragments of different mass making differentiation possible, even when a mixture of both species is present in the same sample. However, MS/MS spectra of acetone and propanal produce fragments with the same molecular masses but with different intensity ratios. This allows quantitative distinction only if one species is predominant. Fragmentation mechanisms are proposed to explain the results.

ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEPREVArticleNEXTPreferential Fragmentation of Protonated Gas-Phase Peptide Ions Adjacent to Acidic Amino Acid ResiduesJun Qin and Brian T. ChaitCite this: J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 19, 5411–5412Publication Date (Print):May 1, 1995Publication History Published online1 May 2002Published inissue 1 May 1995https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ja00124a045https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00124a045research-articleACS PublicationsRequest reuse permissionsArticle Views378Altmetric-Citations112LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail Other access optionsGet e-Alertsclose Get e-Alerts

A novel hybrid tandem mass spectrometer is presented that combines a linear quadrupole ion trap (QLIT) with a linear electrostatic ion trap (ELIT), which is composed of opposing ion mirrors. The QLIT is used both as an accumulation device for the pulsed injection of ions into the ELIT and as a collision cell for ions released from the ELIT and back into the QLIT. Ions are subjected to mass analysis in the ELIT via Fourier transformation of the time-domain signal obtained from an image current measurement using a pick-up electrode in the field-free region of the ELIT. The nondestructive nature of ion detection and the relatively straightforward axial entrance and exit of ions into and from the ELIT allow for the execution of nondestructive tandem mass spectrometry experiments whereby both the initial mass spectrum and the product ion spectrum are obtained on the same initial ion population. The timed pulsing of a deflection electrode, in conjunction with the release of ions from the ELIT, allows for the selection of precursor ions for recapture by the QLIT. The transfer of ions back and forth between the QLIT and ELIT is illustrated with Cs ions, the selection of precursor ions is demonstrated with isotopes of tetraoctylammonium cations, and complete nondestructive tandem mass spectrometry experiments are demonstrated with a mixture of angiotensin II and bradykinin cations. With the current apparatus, the efficiency for the process of recapturing ions and then reinjecting them into the ELIT is 35%-40%. The instrument is capable of isolating an ion from a neighbor with a mass as close as 1 part in 500, with negligible loss of the desired species.

Mass accuracy is a key parameter of mass spectrometric performance. TOF instruments can reach low parts per million, and FT-ICR instruments are capable of even greater accuracy provided ion numbers are well controlled. Here we demonstrate sub-ppm mass accuracy on a linear ion trap coupled via a radio frequency-only storage trap (C-trap) to the orbitrap mass spectrometer (LTQ Orbitrap). Prior to acquisition of a spectrum, a background ion originating from ambient air is first transferred to the C-trap. Ions forming the MS or MS(n) spectrum are then added to this species, and all ions are injected into the orbitrap for analysis. Real time recalibration on the "lock mass" by corrections of mass shift removes mass error associated with calibration of the mass scale. The remaining mass error is mainly due to imperfect peaks caused by weak signals and is addressed by averaging the mass measurement over the LC peak, weighted by signal intensity. For peptide database searches in proteomics, we introduce a variable mass tolerance and achieve average absolute mass deviations of 0.48 ppm (standard deviation 0.38 ppm) and maximal deviations of less than 2 ppm. For tandem mass spectra we demonstrate similarly high mass accuracy and discuss its impact on database searching. High and routine mass accuracy in a compact instrument will dramatically improve certainty of peptide and small molecule identification.

Development of an Electrostatic Linear Ion Trap for Tandem Mass Spectrometry

the 15th asilomar conference on Mass Spectrometry this October was devoted to the role of mass spectrometry (MS) in proteomics. The Asilomar Conference site is in a picturesque national park in Pacific Grove, CA, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The conference aims to bring together scientists from a

In recent years, laser-induced acoustic desorption (LIAD) coupled with a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer has been demonstrated to provide a valuable technique for the analysis of a wide variety of nonvolatile, thermally labile compounds, including analytes that could not previously be analyzed by mass spectrometry. Although FT-ICR instruments are very powerful, they are also large and expensive and, hence, mainly used as research instruments. In contrast, linear quadrupole ion trap (LQIT) mass spectrometers are common due to several qualities that make these instruments attractive for both academic and industrial settings, such as high sensitivity, large dynamic range, and experimental versatility. Further, the relatively small size of the instruments, comparatively low cost, and the lack of a magnetic field provide some distinct advantages over FT-ICR instruments. Hence, we have coupled the LIAD technique with a commercial LQIT, the Thermo Fischer Scientific LTQ mass spectrometer. The LQIT was modified for a LIAD probe by outfitting the removable back plate of the instrument with a 6 in. ConFlat flange (CFF) port, gate valve, and sample lock. Reagent ions were created using the LQIT's atmospheric pressure ionization source and trapped in the mass analyzer for up to 10 s to allow chemical ionization reactions with the neutral molecules desorbed via LIAD. These initial experiments focused on demonstrating the feasibility of performing LIAD in the LQIT. Hence, the results are compared to those obtained using an FT-ICR mass spectrometer. Despite the lower efficiency in the transfer of desorbed neutral molecules into the ion trap, and the smaller maximum number of available laser pulses, the intrinsically higher sensitivity of the LQIT resulted in a higher sensitivity relative to the FT-ICR.

Completion of the human genome project has created a blueprint of the genes and proteins necessary to construct and maintain a complex organism. Understanding how the molecular entities of human cells and tissues function will require sophisticated experiments to decipher how these molecules interact as a system. Beyond genes and proteins, metabolites encompass another important level of the system. To understand cellular systems, high-throughput strategies to investigate the functions of proteins and metabolites within the context of the system are necessary. Thus, understanding gene function (and ultimately biological systems) will require methods to broadly and quickly determine how the amounts and forms of various molecules are changing (Figure 1). Three considerations are relevant: (i) broad and unbiased measurement tools; (ii) comprehensive separation techniques; and (iii) informatics to analyze the data. This article will discuss mass spectrometry for the measurement of proteins and metabolites.

Abstract. Proton transfer reaction (PTR) is a commonly applied ionization technique for mass spectrometers, in which hydronium ions (H3O+) transfer a proton to analytes with higher proton affinities than the water molecule. This method has most commonly been used to quantify volatile hydrocarbons, but later-generation PTR instruments have been designed for better throughput of less volatile species, allowing detection of more functionalized molecules as well. For example, the recently developed Vocus PTR time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-TOF) has been shown to agree well with an iodide-adduct-based chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS) for products with 3–5 O atoms from oxidation of monoterpenes (C10H16). However, while several different types of CIMS instruments (including those using iodide) detect abundant signals also at “dimeric” species, believed to be primarily ROOR peroxides, no such signals have been observed in the Vocus PTR even though these compounds fulfil the condition of having higher proton affinity than water. More traditional PTR instruments have been limited to volatile molecules as the inlets have not been designed for transmission of easily condensable species. Some newer instruments, like the Vocus PTR, have overcome this limitation but are still not able to detect the full range of functionalized products, suggesting that other limitations need to be considered. One such limitation, well-documented in PTR literature, is the tendency of protonation to lead to fragmentation of some analytes. In this work, we evaluate the potential for PTR to detect dimers and the most oxygenated compounds as these have been shown to be crucial for forming atmospheric aerosol particles. We studied the detection of dimers using a Vocus PTR-TOF in laboratory experiments, as well as through quantum chemical calculations. Only noisy signals of potential dimers were observed during experiments on the ozonolysis of the monoterpene α-pinene, while a few small signals of dimeric compounds were detected during the ozonolysis of cyclohexene. During the latter experiments, we also tested varying the pressures and electric fields in the ionization region of the Vocus PTR-TOF, finding that only small improvements were possible in the relative dimer contributions. Calculations for model ROOR and ROOH systems showed that most of these peroxides should fragment partially following protonation. With the inclusion of additional energy from the ion–molecule collisions driven by the electric fields in the ionization source, computational results suggest substantial or nearly complete fragmentation of dimers. Our study thus suggests that while the improved versions of PTR-based mass spectrometers are very powerful tools for measuring hydrocarbons and their moderately oxidized products, other types of CIMS are likely more suitable for the detection of ROOR and ROOH species.

Currently, proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) allows for quantitative determination of volatile organic compounds in real time at concentrations in the low ppt range, but cannot differentiate isomers or isobaric molecules, using the conventional quadrupole mass filter. Here we pursue the application of linear quadrupole ion trap (LIT) mass spectrometry in combination with proton-transfer reaction chemical ionization to provide the advantages of specificity from MS/MS. A commercial PTR-MS platform composed of a quadrupole mass filter with the addition of end cap electrodes enabled the mass filter to operate as a linear ion trap. The rf drive electronics were adapted to enable the application of dipolar excitation to opposing rods, for collision-induced dissociation (CID) of trapped ions. This adaptation enabled ion isolation, ion activation, and mass analysis. The utility of the PTR-LIT was demonstrated by distinguishing between the isomeric isoprene oxidation pair, methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) and methacrolein (MACR). The CID voltage was adjusted to maximize the m/ z 41 to 43 fragment ratio of MACR while still maintaining adequate sensitivity. Linear calibration curves for MVK and MACR fragments at m/ z 41 and 43 were obtained with limits of detection of approximately 100 ppt, which should enable ambient measurements. Finally, the PTR-LIT method was compared to an established GC/MS method by quantifying MVK and MACR production during a smog chamber isoprene-NO x irradiation experiment.