Mass Analyzers

The mass analyzer is the heart of a mass spectrometer. In the beginning, ions are generated in the ion source by any of the possible methods (EI, ESI, APCI, CI, MALDI, field desorption) then charge species are delivered via ion transfer optics to the mass analyzer (quadrupole, ion-trap, TOF, magnetic sector) where they are analyzed according to the mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio. Depending on the mass analyzer, ions either hit the detector (electron dynode, multichannel plate) where the signal is recorded, or are trapped in a strong magnetic (ICR) or electrical (Orbitrap) field where image current is generated.

The concepts of operation of mass analyzers available in our laboratory will be reviewed here.

• Quadrupole ion filters

• Ion traps

• Time-of-flight mass analyzers

Manuals supplied with the mass spectrometers and some of the references shown below were used in the preparation of this section. Other publications are useful and interesting for reading.

Donald J. Douglas, Aaron J. Frank, Dunmin Mao, Linear Ion Traps in Mass Spectrometry, Mass Spectr. Rev., 2005, 24, 1.

Y. Huang, G.-Z. Li, S. Guan, A.G. Marshall, A Combined Linear Ion Trap for Mass Spectrometry, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom., 1997, 8, 962.

R.E. March, An Introduction to Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry, J. Mass Spectrom., 1997, 32, 351.

J.C. Schwartz, M.W. Senko, J.E.P. Syka, A Two-Dimensional Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom., 2002, 13, 659.

George Stafford, Jr, Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry: A Personal Perspective, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom., 2002, 13, 589.

A. Makarov, E. Denisov, O. Lange, S. Horning, Dynamic range of Mass Accuracy in LTQ Orbitrap Hybrid Mass Spectrometer, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom., 2006, 17, 977.

A. Makarov, E. Denisov, A. Kholomeev, W. Balschun, O. Lange, K. Strupat, S. Horning, Performance Evaluation of a Hybrid Linear Ion Trap/Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer, Anal. Chem., 2006, 78, 2113.

Q. Hu, R.J. Noll, H. Li, A. Makarov, M. Hardman, R.G. Cooks, The Orbitrap: a new mass spectrometer, J. Mass Spectrom., 2005, 40, 430.

R.G Cooks, Collision-induced Dissociation: Readings and Commentary, J. Mass Spectrom., 1995, 30, 1215.

Edmond de Hoffmann, Tandem Mass Spectrometry: a Primer, J. Mass Spectrom., 1996, 31, 129.

D.J. Douglas, Linear Quadrupoles in Mass Spectrometry, Mass Spectr. Rev., 2009, 6, 937.

R.E. March, Quadrupole Ion Traps, Mass Spectr. Rev., 2009, 6, 961.