Research Project
2192721
The subject proposal relates to the development of a high speed data system which uses a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) as a universal mass separation device and species detector. This data system will take advantage of the temporal speed of time-of-flight mass spectrometry to rapidly compute and display either liquid chromatography (LC) or capillary electrophoresis (CE) data using both Electrospray and Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization (APCI) as inlet systems. 'Standard' data reduction and presentation will be performed, including ion chromatograms and both raw and averaged mass spectra. Additionally, by virtue of the statistically significant numbers of spectra which one can generate using TOF-MS as a chromatography detector, other multi-parametric relationships will also be computed and presented. The data system will be comprised of four individual elements: a data acquisition module, a data storage module, high speed data reduction functionality and a data presentation module. A prototype data system including all of the above modules will be designed, constructed and tested in Phase I. This system will possess rudimentary real-time computational abilities which will be expanded upon in Phase II studies. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The subject apparatus will have immediate applicability in the analytical marketplace as a means of recording high speed chemical separations of biomolecules, either from LC or CE systems. This platform will satisfy other immediate or short-range market needs as well, including both inorganic analysis (ICP-TOF-MS) and high speed analysis of volatile organic compounds (GC-TOF-MS).
