title: Evaluation of a rapid-scanning quadrupole mass spectrometer in an apolar × ionic-liquid comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography system.
abstract: Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) is a powerful technique which can enable a great increase in GC peak capacities. However, since secondary-column separations are very rapid, detectors with a fast acquisition rate are mandatory. Such a requirement has certainly limited the use of the quadrupole mass spectrometer in the GC×GC field. The present research is focused on the evaluation of a novel rapid-scanning quadrupole mass spectrometry (qMS) detector, characterized by a 20,000 amu/s scan speed and a 50 Hz scan frequency, using a 290 amu mass range (40-330 m/z). The performance of the MS system was assessed by analyzing mixtures of 24 allergens, as well as a perfume sample, through GC×GC/qMS. The MS parameters evaluated at different acquisition rates (50, 33, and 25 Hz), as well as in the (simultaneous) scan/selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode, were the number of data points per peak, mass spectrum quality, peak skewing, and sensitivity. Two GC×GC/qMS methods, using the 50 Hz acquisition rate and the scan/SIM mode, were validated. Both methods provided similar results in terms of repeatability, accuracy, and linearity, while a great increase in sensitivity was observed (ca. a factor of 10) under scan/SIM conditions. The validated method proved to be suitable for the analysis of perfume allergens, according to the requirements of Directive 2003/15/EC.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Farmaco-chimico, Facoltà di Farmacia, Università di Messina, viale Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Purcaro
authors.forename: Peter Quinto
authors.initials: PQ
authors.lastname: Tranchida
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ragonese
authors.forename: Lanfranco
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dugo
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dugo
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mondello
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis; D002138:Calibration; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D007477:Ions / Q000737:chemistry; D010476:Perfume / Q000737:chemistry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007477:Ions; D010476:Perfume