Notícies
20.06.2022
New high-resolution mass spectrometer equipped with ion mobility UHPLC-Q-TOF(IM)-MS
The Scientific and Technological Centers of the University of Barcelona make available to users a new piece of equipment in the separative techniques laboratory. It is a hybrid instrument that combines a high-resolution mass spectrometer of the Q-TOF type with an ion mobility cell, coupled to a UHPLC chromatography system.
The equipment is an Agilent 6560 Q-TOF mass spectrometer with an ion mobility cell, coupled to an Agilent 1290 Infinity UHPLC, and is accompanied by the necessary software for mass spectrometry data processing, ion mobility data analysis, and metabolomics studies.
Characteristics and Applications
The equipment allows for classic high-resolution TOF-MS and MS/MS experiments, but the ion mobility feature provides an additional dimension when it comes to separating and analyzing isobaric and isomeric compounds that are difficult to separate by chromatography. The ion mobility cell enables the measurement of collision cross section (CCS) values of ions, a physical parameter that depends on the volume and shape of each ionized molecule in the gas phase. When combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry, it significantly enhances the identification and characterization capabilities of compounds.
The unique features of this mass spectrometer enable a wide range of applications in various fields:
• Life sciences: metabolomics, lipidomics, etc.
• Clinical research: biomarker discovery
• Environmental and food safety
• Analysis of extractables and leachables
• Structural elucidation of compounds
• Identification of drug metabolites (Met-ID) and impurities in pharmaceutical products
• Clinical and forensic toxicology
Funding
Out of the total equipment cost, 295,000€ was funded through a grant from the FEDER fund under the EQC2019-005533-P call for scientific equipment, while the remaining amount was provided by the University of Barcelona. The acquisition of this instrument was made possible through collaboration between the CCiTUB and Prof. Encarnación Moyano from the Research Group in Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry: Analytical Chemistry of the Environment and Food Safety, who led the request.
Location
The new spectrometer has been qualified for operation and service and is therefore available to users in the HPLC-MS lab of the Separative Techniques laboratory at CCiTUB, located in the Parc Científic de Barcelona (EM01C14 laboratory).