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Related Concept Videos

Mass Spectrometry: Overview01:19

Mass Spectrometry: Overview

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Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique used to determine the molecular mass and molecular formula of a compound. The basic principle of mass spectrometry is to generate ions from the analyte molecule and measure these ion abundances against their molecular mass. One common type of ionization, known as electron ionization or EI, bombards the analyte molecules in the gas phase with high-energy electron beams. The electron beams displace an electron from the molecule and leave behind a...
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Tandem Mass Spectrometry01:21

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Tandem mass spectrometry is a technique that uses multiple mass analyzers in series to obtain a higher selectivity and reduce chemical noise during analyte detection. Instruments with multiple analyzers separated by an interaction cell enable secondary fragmentation and selected study of the fragment ions.Secondary fragmentations occur in the interaction cell and can be induced by various factors. Fragmentation induced by collision with inert gases, such as N2, Ar, He, etc., is called...
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MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry01:19

MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry

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Mass spectrometry is a powerful characterization technique that can identify and separate a wide variety of compounds ranging from chemical to biological entities, based on their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). The instruments that allow this detection, known as mass spectrometers, have three components: an ion source, a mass analyzer, and a detector. These spectrometers differ based on the nature of their ion source and analyzers.Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) is a commonly...
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Mass spectrometry is an important technique for the identification of pure compounds. However, it has some limitations for the analysis of complex mixtures, often due to excessive fragmentation making the spectrum too complicated to decipher. Mass spectrometry can be combined with suitable separation methods in sequence, forming hyphenated methods, which are useful in the analysis of complex mixtures.
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This lesson details the instrumentation of a mass spectrometer—a physical instrument to perform mass spectrometry on analyte molecules and record the characteristic mass spectra. This is achieved via three chief functions:
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High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS)01:15

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The resolution of a mass spectrometer depends on the efficiency of separating ions with different ion masses. The mass of an atom is approximated to the sum of the masses of protons and neutrons inside, considering the masses of protons and neutrons as equal. However, the masses of the proton (1.6726 × 10−24 g) and neutron (1.6749 × 10−24 g) are not truly equal. There is a minor error in the expression of atomic masses relative to the simplest atom of hydrogen. For...
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Improved Polymerase Chain Reaction-restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Genotyping of Toxic Pufferfish by Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry
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Single-molecule mass spectrometry.

David Z Keifer1, Martin F Jarrold1

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington, IN, 47401.

Mass Spectrometry Reviews
|February 14, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Single-molecule mass spectrometry analyzes individual ions for large, complex samples. This review details various techniques, their pros, cons, and diverse applications in science.

Keywords:
Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonancecharge detectioncone trapcryogenic detectorelectrostatic ion trapnanomechanical oscillatornanomechanical resonatoroptical detectionquadrupole ion trapsingle-moleculetime of flight mass spectrometry

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Area of Science:

  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Physical Chemistry
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Conventional mass spectrometry struggles with large, heterogeneous molecules.
  • Single-molecule mass spectrometry (SM-MS) offers a solution by measuring individual ions.
  • This technique is crucial for analyzing complex biological and material systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and compare various single-molecule mass spectrometry techniques.
  • To discuss the advantages, disadvantages, and applications of each method.
  • To highlight the potential of SM-MS in scientific discovery.

Main Methods:

  • Time-of-flight with cryogenic detectors
  • Quadrupole ion trap with optical detection
  • Single-molecule Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance
  • Charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS)
  • Quadrupole ion traps coupled to charge detector plates
  • Nanomechanical oscillators

Main Results:

  • Each technique offers unique capabilities for mass and heterogeneity analysis.
  • SM-MS methods have been applied to diverse fields, including astrobiology and virology.
  • Detailed comparison of technological merits and limitations is provided.

Conclusions:

  • Single-molecule mass spectrometry is a powerful tool for analyzing complex systems.
  • The diverse techniques reviewed offer tailored solutions for specific analytical challenges.
  • Continued development of SM-MS promises broader applications and deeper scientific insights.