Name: mass analyzers and ion separation
Uploaded: 2024-04-04T10:51:34.000Z
Duration: 1 min 13 s
Channel: JoVE

Common mass analyzers include magnetic sector, double-focusing, quadrupole, time-of-flight, and ion trap analyzers.
The capability of any mass analyzer can be evaluated by its resolution, which describes the ability to differentiate ions with similar mass-to-charge ratios.
Resolution is expressed as the ratio of a peak&#39;s nominal m/z value to the smallest resolvable difference between it and an adjacent peak. The limiting factors for analyzer resolution depend on the type of analyzer.
For example, a simple magnetic sector analyzer needs ions to have about the same kinetic energy when they enter the magnetic field so that ions with different m/z values are reliably deflected to different trajectories.
So, even minor kinetic energy variations caused during fragmentation and acceleration make this separation less effective.
However, a double-focusing analyzer employs an additional applied electric field sector to correct kinetic energy differences, which can give as much as a tenfold increase in resolution.

mass analyzers: overview

Mass Analyzers: Overview

The mass analyzer is a crucial component of the mass spectrometer. In the ionization chamber, the vaporized sample is bombarded with a high-energy electron beam to generate a radical cation and further fragment into neutral molecules, radicals, and cations. A series of negatively charged accelerator plates accelerate the cations into the mass analyzer. The mass analyzer separates ions according to their mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios and then directs them to the detector. The common types of mass analyzers include magnetic sector, double-focusing, quadrupole, time-of-flight, and ion trap.
A magnetic field is applied in the magnetic sector analyzer, and the moving charges deflect to a curved path. For a given magnetic field, the radius of curvature depends on the m/z value, and the ions of a particular m/z value pass to the detector. As a result, the magnetic field of the instrument is continuously varied to sequentially pass ions in a broader m/z range to the detector.
A double-focusing mass analyzer uses a combination of the electrostatic sector and magnetic sector. As the ions exit the source, the electrostatic field focuses the ionic beam to minimize the kinetic energy spread and then leads the ions to the magnetic sector. The magnetic sector sorts the ions based on the deflection. This double-focusing of the beam helps in achieving high resolution.
The resolution of the mass spectrometer is defined as its ability to differentiate between two closely spaced mass spectra. A unit resolution indicates the ability of the instrument to differentiate the masses with a difference of one integer unit. For example, an instrument with unit resolution can distinguish m/z 50 from m/z 51, or m/z 100 from m/z 101, or m/z 500 from m/z 501. Generally, the resolution for commercial spectrometers is in the range of 500 to 500,000.

Common mass analyzers include magnetic sector, double-focusing, quadrupole, time-of-flight, and ion trap analyzers.
The capability of any mass analyzer ...

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Analytical Chemistry

Unit 1

Principles of Mass Spectrometry

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

mass analyzers and ion separation

Mass analyzers separate ions by their mass-to-charge ratio, or m/z, in a mass spectrometer. After a sample is vaporized in the ionization chamber, it is hit with a high-energy electron beam. This creates a radical cation and also produces neutral molecules, radicals, and cations. Negatively charged accelerator plates then push the cations into the mass analyzer, where they are sent on to the detector.

Several mass analyzer designs are commonly used. These include magnetic sector, double-focusing, quadrupole, time-of-flight, and ion trap analyzers. In a magnetic sector analyzer, a magnetic field bends the moving ions into a curved path. The radius of that curve depends on the ion's m/z value. By changing the magnetic field, the instrument can pass ions with different m/z values to the detector one after another.

A double-focusing mass analyzer combines an electrostatic sector and a magnetic sector. As ions leave the source, the electrostatic field focuses the beam and reduces the spread in kinetic energy. The beam then enters the magnetic sector, which separates the ions by deflection. This double-focusing design helps the instrument achieve high resolution.

Resolution describes how well a mass spectrometer can tell apart two closely spaced mass spectra. Unit resolution means the instrument can distinguish masses that differ by one integer unit, such as m/z 50 and 51, or 100 and 101, or 500 and 501. In commercial spectrometers, resolution is generally in the range of 500 to 500,000.

Mass Analyzers and Ion Separation

mass spectrometry: overview

Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Identity

Mass spectrometry helps identify a compound by measuring its molecular mass and molecular formula. It does this by turning the analyte molecule into ions and then comparing ion abundance with mass-to-charge ratio. One common ionization method is electron ionization, or EI. In EI, high-energy electron beams strike analyte molecules in the gas phase. The beam removes an electron and leaves a molecular ion behind. A molecular ion is a radical cation, so it has a positive charge and an unpaired...

mass spectrometry: isotope effect

Isotope Peaks in Mass Spectra

Isotope peaks in mass spectra show how natural isotope mixtures change the signal of a molecule. Most elements occur as a mix of isotopes, which are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons. Because isotopes have different masses, the same fragment can appear at more than one position in a spectrum. The mass of a molecule depends on which isotopes are present in its atoms. The size of each isotope peak also depends on how common those isotopes are in nature. Carbon is a...

mass spectrometry: molecular fragmentation overview

mass-spectrometry-molecular-fragmentation-overview

Mass Spectrometry Fragmentation Patterns

Mass spectrometry fragmentation patterns show how a molecular ion breaks apart after ionization. When a molecule loses an electron inside the mass spectrometer, its structure becomes unstable. The ion then fragments at bonds that often produce the most stable pieces. One common pattern is cleavage of a single bond in the molecular ion. This break forms a radical and a cation. The bond can split in more than one way, but the favored path is the one that gives the more stable carbocation rather...

mass spectrometers

How Mass Spectrometers Sort Ions

A mass spectrometer sorts charged ions by their mass-to-charge ratio and records their relative abundance. It turns vaporized analyte molecules into ions, separates them, and then measures the signal from each type of ion. The process begins in the ionization chamber. The analyte is in the gas phase inside a vacuum, and it is struck by high-energy electrons. The electrons have about 70 eV of energy, which is enough to remove an electron from the analyte and form a molecular ion. After...

mass spectrum

Reading Peaks in a Mass Spectrum

A mass spectrum shows the charged fragments in an analyte as peaks plotted by mass-to-charge ratio, or m/z. The x-axis gives the mass of each charged fragment divided by the number of charges it carries. The y-axis shows the relative abundance of each charged species based on the signal intensity recorded at the detector. The tallest peak is called the base peak. It is assigned an abundance of 100%, and the other peaks are scaled against it. The peak from the molecular ion is called the parent...

mass spectrum: interpretation

Decoding Molecular Ions in Mass Spectra

Mass spectra help scientists identify an unknown compound by finding the molecular ion peak. The molecular ion peak shows the mass of the intact molecule, but it is often weak or missing because high-energy electron beams cause strong fragmentation. When that happens, a soft-energy electron beam can be used to scan the spectrum and improve the molecular ion signal. Other ionization methods can also give a stronger molecular ion peak. Chemical ionization, field ionization, and desorption...

Mass analyzers separate ions by their mass-to-charge ratio, or m/z, in a mass spectrometer. After a sample is vaporized in the ionization chamber, it is hit with a high-energy electron beam. This creates a radical cation and also produces neutral molecules, radicals, and cations. Negatively charged accelerator plates then push the cations into the mass analyzer, where they are sent on to the detector. Several mass analyzer designs are commonly used. These include magnetic sector,...

mass analyzers: common types

Quadrupole, TOF, and Ion Trap Analyzers

Quadrupole, time-of-flight, and ion trap mass analyzers each separate ions in a different way. They are common tools in mass spectrometry and help sort ions by their mass-to-charge ratio, or m/z. A quadrupole mass analyzer uses four cylindrical metal rods arranged in a diamond shape. The rods carry a direct current, or DC, voltage and a radio-frequency AC voltage. Ion motion depends on the field strength, so only ions with a certain m/z resonate and reach the detector at that setting. This...

high-resolution mass spectrometry (hrms)

Mass Accuracy in HRMS Analysis

High-resolution mass spectrometry separates ions by very small differences in mass. This matters because atomic masses are not always exact whole numbers, even though they are often rounded for simple calculations. Atomic mass is usually estimated by adding the masses of protons and neutrons. In reality, the proton and neutron do not have exactly the same mass. That creates small differences when atomic masses are compared to the simplest hydrogen atom. Helium, for example, is made of 2...

mass spectrometry: complex analysis

Hyphenated Mass Spectrometry Methods

Mass spectrometry can be paired with separation methods to study complex mixtures. This combination is called a hyphenated method. It helps when a pure mass spectrum is too hard to read because a mixture causes too much fragmentation and too many overlapping signals. GC-MS is one common hyphenated method. GC stands for gas chromatography, which separates volatile, thermally stable compounds in narrow capillary columns before they enter the mass spectrometer. This approach is widely used in...

tandem mass spectrometry

MS/MS Scan Modes and Fragment Ions

Tandem mass spectrometry uses two or more mass analyzers in series to improve selectivity and lower chemical noise during analyte detection. A set of analyzers separated by an interaction cell lets the instrument break ions apart and study the fragment ions that form. Fragmentation happens in the interaction cell and can be caused in several ways. Collision-induced dissociation, or CID, uses inert gases such as nitrogen, argon, or helium. Other methods include surface-induced dissociation...

gas chromatography&ndash;mass spectrometry (gc&ndash;ms)

How GC-MS Separates and Identifies Compounds

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) separates compounds in a mixture and then identifies them. A gas chromatograph first splits the mixture into its parts. A mass spectrometer then analyzes each part on its own to determine molecular masses and molecular structures. The gas chromatograph uses a long, narrow capillary column. The inner wall of the column has a polysiloxane coating. This coating serves as the stationary phase. It has a high boiling point, low viscosity, and low polarity.

inductively coupled plasma&#8211;mass spectrometry (icp&#8211;ms): overview

inductively-coupled-plasmamass-spectrometry-icpms-overview

ICP-MS Sample Ionization and Detection

ICP-MS uses an inductively coupled plasma torch to turn samples into ions for mass analysis. Solid samples are first dissolved and volatilized before they enter the hot argon plasma. Solution samples are nebulized, which means they are converted into a fine spray, and then passed through the same plasma. Inside the plasma, the analytes break apart. Their atoms become positively charged ions, along with some molecular species. These positive ions are sent to the mass spectrometer, where they...

inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (icp-ms): interferences

inductively-coupled-plasma-mass-spectrometry-icp-ms-interferences

ICP-MS Signal Interference Sources and Fixes

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a sensitive method for elemental analysis, but its spectra can be affected by interferences. These interferences can make the mass signal less accurate, even when the instrument is working well. Spectroscopic interferences happen when ions in the plasma have the same mass-to-charge ratio, or m/z, as the analyte ion. This group includes isobaric interferences, polyatomic ion interferences, and refractory oxide ion interferences. Isobaric...

key terms and concepts

See how mass analyzers separate ions by m/z, how magnetic sector and double-focusing designs work, and what resolution means in mass spectrometry.

Mass Analyzers and Ion Separation | JoVE K12

analytical chemistry

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Mass Analyzers and Ion Separation

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