Nitrogen for Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry
What is LC-MS?
LC-MS is a separation technique for the analysis of compounds in a mixture, e.g. pharmaceutical products, which can identify and quantify compounds such as contaminant, degradation products or unknown compounds (e.g. in forensic science) in complex matrices. This separation technique is used in a wide range of industries (pharmaceutical development and manufacture, clinical biochemistry and toxicology, water purity testing and academic research).
How does it work?
A chemical mixture is first separated using liquid chromatography. The separated components are quantified or identified using a mass selective detector which allows accurate and reproducible measurement of amount of each component (”analyte”) present.
The benefits of the LC-MS in Analytical Chemistry
- The process can be used to identify and quantify complex compound mixes in challenging sample matrices, with relative speed and simplicity.
- Very sensitive technique, capable of measuring levels down to 0.000 000 000 000 000 001 (10-18) grams of compound.
- The technique allows faster analysis times to test substances, increased throughput and reducing labour costs for the laboratory.
Use of N2 in a LC-MS unit
Chromalytic offers Nitrogen Generators for your needs
Hot Nitrogen is used as a "curtain gas" to stop solvent entering the capillary tube and also boiling off the solvent, leaving the sample behind. High purity Nitrogen is used in the Collision cell (collision gas) in LC/MS/MS Instruments to further Fragment the analyte lons. The more the sample is fragmented the more likely that the analyte ions can be identified with certainty.
- Single Quad LC-MS instruments
- Triple Quad, TOF & QTOF LC-MS instruments
Our Nitrogen Generators for LC-MS are compatible with current and legacy models, including the following equipment:
- Agilent: 6100 series single quad, 6200 series TOF, 6300 series ion trap, 6400 series QQQ, 6500 QTOF
- Shimadzu: LC/MS-2020, LC/MS-8030, LC/MS-8040, LC/MS-8050
- Waters: LCT, ZQ/EMD, Acquity, 3100 mass detector, Synapt, XEVO TQS, G2 QTOF, QTOF, Quattro series, QDa
- Sciex: Q-Trap, 4000 LC/MS/MS, 4500 LC/MS/MS & QTRAP, 5000 LC/MS/LC etc