title: Multiplexed rectilinear ion trap mass spectrometer for high-throughput analysis.
abstract: A multichannel mass spectrometer based on the rectilinear ion trap (RIT) analyzer was designed and constructed for simultaneous high-throughput analysis of multiple samples. The instrument features four parallel ion source/mass analyzer/detector channels assembled in a single vacuum chamber and operated using a common set of control electronics, including a single rf amplifier and transformer coil. This multiplexed RIT mass spectrometer employs an array of four millimeter-sized ion traps (x(o) = 5.0 mm and y(o) = 4.0 mm, where x(o) and y(o) are the half-distances in the x and y dimensions, respectively). Mass spectra are acquired from four different samples simultaneously. The available mass/charge range is m/z 15-510 with excellent linearity of the mass calibration (R2 = 0.999 999). The peak width is less than 0.3 mass/charge units at m/z 146, corresponding to a resolution of approximately 500. Simultaneous MS/MS of ions due to four compounds (3-fluoroanisole, 4-fluoroanisole, 2-fluorobenzyl alcohol, 2,6-dimethylcyclohexanone) with the same nominal molecular radical cation but distinctive fragmentation patterns was demonstrated. Isolation and fragmentation efficiencies were approximately 25 and approximately 75%, respectively, measured in the typical case of the molecular radical cation of acetophenone. Preacquisition differential data were obtained by real-time subtraction of the ion signals from two channels of the multiplexed mass spectrometer. The differential experiment presented offers proof of principle of comparative mass spectra in high-throughput screening applications while reducing data storage requirements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2084, USA.
authors.forename: Amy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tabert
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Goodwin
authors.forename: Jason S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: Charles D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Fico
authors.forename: R Graham
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Cooks
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D004583:Electrons; D007477:Ions / Q000737:chemistry*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D007477:Ions