Other

Aviv Amirav

Alexander B Fialkov

Nitzan Tzanani

Shai Dagan

Gad Frishman

Tzvi Shahar

Alexander Gordin

Svetlana Tsizin

Tal Alon

Albert Danon

Method for producing ions for mass spectrometry analysis, including introducing vaporized sample compounds behind a supersonic nozzle and expanding the sample compounds with a carrier gas from the supersonic nozzle into a supersonic nozzle vacuum chamber proximate thereto for vibrationally cooling the sample compounds prior to their ionization. Sample compounds are ionized by either illumination with vacuum ultra-violet photons produced by a continuously operated vacuum ultra-violet photon source or by electrons produced in a fly-through electron ionization ion source; and the ions are transferred to a mass analyzer mounted in a mass analyzer vacuum chamber to obtain mass spectra from vibrationally cold molecules. A quadrupole mass analyzer mounted may be used to obtain mass spectra with dominant molecular ions and fragment ion intensities below 3% of the molecular ion for hydrocarbons. Carrier gas flow rate may exceed 20 ml/min for vibrationally cooling the sample compounds prior to their ionization.

Mass spectrometer with photoionization ion source method and system

In a method and apparatus for electron ionization liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (EI-LC-MS) analysis liquid chromatograph output solvent flow is directed together with spray formation gas into a spray formation and vaporization chamber for forming spray droplets which are vaporized to form vaporized sample compounds at a pressure equal to or greater than ambient pressure. A minor portion is conveyed into a heated flow restriction capillary that directly connects the spray formation and vaporization chamber and a non-fly-through electron ionization ion source of a mass spectrometer located inside a vacuum chamber. A major portion is released to atmosphere so that it does not enter the flow restriction capillary and therefore does not reach the non-fly-through electron ionization ion source. Also disclosed is an interface for a unified dual-mode mass spectrometer system for performing gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or electron ionization liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (EI-LC-MS) analyses.

Method and apparatus for electron ionization liquid chromatography mass spectrometry

A fast gas chromatograph (GC) method and device for obtaining fast gas chromatography analysis, in which a capillary gas chromatography column is inserted into a resistively heated metal tube located mostly outside a heated oven, which serves as a heated transferline to a flexible column that enters a resistively heated metal tube from a gas chromatograph injector and exits into a gas chromatograph detector. The resistively heated metal tube of the fast GC device has an internal diameter that is over twice the external diameter of the GC column so as to enable the insertion of several capillary GC column loops. The process of column insertion into or removal from the heated tube is aided by touching it with an ultrasound vibrating device that remarkably reduces the friction during column insertion into the metal tube heater.

Fast gas chromatograph method and device for analyzing a sample

There is provided a capillary separated vaporization chamber and nozzle method and device for improved electron ionization liquid chromatography mass spectrometry of samples in a supersonic molecular beam. The device includes a vaporization chamber located upstream of a supersonic nozzle; a capillary separating the vaporization chamber and the supersonic nozzle, means for spray formation from sample in a flowing liquid; a vacuum system into which the supersonic nozzle induces supersonic expansion of the vaporized sample compounds and solvent vapor, for forming a supersonic molecular beam with vibrationally cold sample molecules and vaporized solvent; flythrough electron ionization ion source; mass analyzer; an ion detector and means for data processing of the resulting mass spectral information, for identifying and/or quantifying the chemical content of the sample.

Capillary separated vaporization chamber and nozzle device and method

In a fast gas chromatograph (GC) method and device for obtaining fast gas chromatography analysis, a capillary gas chromatography column is inserted into a resistively heated metal tube located mostly outside a standard gas chromatograph oven, which may serve as a heated transfer line to a flexible column that enters the resistively heated metal tube from its injector and exits into its detector. The fast GC device enables less than one minute full range temperature programming and cooling back analysis cycle time. The fast GC according to one embodiment is combined with mass spectrometry with supersonic molecular beams for the provision of fast analysis cycle time together with highly informative mass spectral information for improved sample analysis and identification.

An open probe method for sample introduction into a mass spectrometer is disclosed, comprising the steps of: loading a sample holder with sample compounds to be analyzed; heating a probe oven; introducing said sample compounds in said sample holder into said heated probe oven; flowing inert gas into said heated probe oven; vaporizing said sample in said heated probe oven by the combined effect of oven temperature and inert gas flow; entraining said vaporized sample in said inert gas; and, transferring said vaporized sample in inert gas into an ion source of a mass spectrometer; wherein said heated probe oven remains open to the ambient atmosphere during sample introduction and analysis; said inert gas is flowing in said heated probe oven in two directions of a transfer line to a mass spectrometer ion source and to the oven opening; said vaporized sample in inert gas is transferred through a heated transfer line directly into the ionization chamber of an ion source of a mass spectrometer. An apparatus for this method of sample introduction is also disclosed. The primary advantage of this method and apparatus is that the heated probe oven remains open to the ambient atmosphere during sample introduction and analysis thereby enabling faster sample analysis.

Open probe method and device for sample introduction for mass spectrometry analysis

There is provided a pulsed flow modulation gas chromatograph mass spectrometer with supersonic molecular beams apparatus and method for improved sample analysis. The apparatus includes a gas chromatograph with an injector for the analysis of sample compounds, a first analytical column in the gas chromatograph, a sample storage, a gas pulse generator, a pressure generator, a conduit for transferring the sample compounds into a second analytical column having a different polarity than the polarity of the first analytical column, a second gas pulse generator, a transfer line for transferring the sample compounds into a supersonic nozzle, a member for adding a makeup gas to the output gas flow of the second analytical column before the supersonic nozzle, an element for reducing the flow rate of the added makeup gas, a supersonic nozzle for the expansion of the sample with the combined second analytical column and added makeup gas, a fly-through electron ionization ion source, a mass analyzer, an ion detector for the detection of the ions of the sample compounds after their mass analysis, a data processor and presenter, and a repeater for repeating the cycle of the first gas pulse of relatively high flow rate followed by the second gas pulse of intermediate flow rate.

Pulsed flow modulation gas chromatography mass spectrometry with supersonic molecular beams method and apparatus

There is provided a mass spectrometric based method for sample identification, including the steps of introducing sample compounds into a vacuum chamber of a mass spectrometer in a seeded supersonic molecular beam, ionizing with electrons the sample compounds, being vibrationally cold molecules, in the supersonic molecular beam during their flight through an electron ionization ion source, mass analyzing the ionized sample compounds with a mass analyzer of a mass spectrometer to obtain a mass spectrum of at least one compound in the sample, identifying the molecular ion group of isotopomers in the mass spectrum, generating various molecular elemental formulas from the identified molecular ion and a pre-allocated list of elements, reducing the number of the molecular elemental formulas by the incorporation of chemical valence considerations and constraints, calculating isotope abundances for the generated elemental formulas, comparing the calculated isotope abundances with the experimentally obtained mass spectral isotope abundance, and listing the generated elemental formulas according to their degree of matching to the experimentally obtained mass spectral isotope abundance.

Mass spectrometric based method for sample identification

The invention provides a mass spectrometric method for analyzing a sample in a solution, including the steps of directing a flow of a solution containing sample compounds to be analyzed towards a supersonic nozzle having an input end and an output end; vaporizing the solution and sample prior to its expansion from the output end of said supersonic nozzle; allowing expansion of the vaporized sample and solution from said supersonic nozzle into a vacuum system, forming a supersonic molecular beam with vibrationally cold sample molecules; ionizing the vaporized sample compounds with electrons while contained as vibrationally cold molecules in said supersonic molecular beam; mass analyzing the ions formed from said sample compounds; detecting said ions formed from said sample compounds after mass analysis, and processing the data obtained from the resulting mass spectral information, for identifying and/or quantifying the chemical content of said sample. The invention also provides apparatus for analyzing a sample in a solution.

Mass spectrometer method and apparatus for analyzing a sample in a solution

The invention provides a gas chromatography method for analyzing materials vaporizable in a gas chromatograph system, the method including filling a sample injection device with a sample of the compounds to be analyzed; transferring the sample compounds into an analytical separation column with a transfer gas; passing a carrier gas inside the analytical separation column for time separation of the sample compounds; controlling the temperature of the column for achieving separation of the sample compounds; transferring the vaporized sample compounds eluted from the column into a flame ionization detector; providing the gases required for the operation of the flame ionization detector, and analyzing the data output of the flame ionization detector for analysis of the sample compounds, wherein the gases required for the operation of the gas chromatograph system are produced by water electrolysis. In a modification of the method, the gases required for operation of the gas chromatograph system are produced by water electrolysis without separating the hydrogen from the co-produced oxygen. Gas chromatograph systems for analyzing vaporizable materials are also provided.

Method and system for gas chromatography

The invention provides an ion source, including an inlet port for introduction of a sample into the ion source; an outlet port through which an ion beam exits; an ionizer for ionizing the sample; an ion formation chamber confined by an ion cage, and at least one electrical shield for shielding the ion chamber from the penetration of electrical fields affecting the ions inside the chamber.

Electron ionization ion source

The invention provides a water electrolyzer device for generating a premixed hydrogen and oxygen gas mixture and for directing said gas mixture into a flame ionization detector, the device including a water container for performing water electrolysis; an electrode for passing electrolysis current in the water; and a water mist and vapor pressure management system for the elimination of water mist and reduction of the water relative humidity below the saturation point, the system being located between the water electrolyzer and the flame ionization detector. A method based on water electrolysis for the provision of a combustible gas mixture for the operation of a flame ionization detector is also provided.

Electrolyzer device for the operation of flame ionization detectors

A flame based method for analyzing a sample by introducing the sample into a combustible gas mixture, igniting the combustible gas mixture to produce a flame, and detecting a characteristic of the resulting flame to determine the identity and/or concentration of one or more chemical substances in the sample, wherein the combustible gas mixture is generated by water electrolysis. The same method is also utilizable for determining the identity and/or concentration of one or more chemical compounds in the sample. A flame based detector apparatus for analyzing a sample is also described. The apparatus includes an inlet for introducing combustible gases therein, a feeder for introducing the sample into combustible gases, an ignitor for igniting the combustible gases to produce a flame, a detector for detecting a characteristic of the resulting flame for determining the identity and/or concentration of one or more chemical substances in the sample, and a water electrolyser for generating combustible gases and for directing the gases to the inlet.

Flame-based method and apparatus for analyzing a sample

There is provided a method for sample introduction into a mass spectrometer for performing sample analysis, including desorbing a sample by a laser beam and forming gaseous sample compounds, sweeping desorbed sample compounds with a carrier gas into a transfer line, transferring the sample compounds in the transfer line into a supersonic nozzle, expanding the sample compounds mixed with the carrier gas from the supersonic nozzle to form a supersonic free jet inside a vacuum chamber of a mass spectrometer, and ionizing and mass analyzing the sample compounds for the purpose of identification and/or quantification of the sample. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.

Method and apparatus for sample introduction into a mass spectrometer

There is provided a method for sample introduction into a gas chromatograph for performing sample analysis, in which a sample is introduced into a removable sample container, the container is placed in a sample introduction device, the device with said container is inserted into a gas chromatograph injector, and the sample is then vaporized for effecting analysis thereof by the gas chromatograph. The non-volatile residues of the sample retained in the container after vaporization and are removed with the container prior to performing the next analysis. There is also provided a method for direct sample introduction into a mass spectrometer for performing sample analysis, in which a sample is loaded into a sample container, the container with the sample is introduced into the injector of a gas chromatograph connected to a mass spectrometer through a capillary column, the injector is heated to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the sample to produce a flow of compounds which are swept to the mass spectrometer by a carrier gas, and the container is removed from the injector prior to performing the next analysis. Devices for introducing samples into a gas chromatograph for analyzing said sample are also described and claimed.

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Hod Hasharon, Israel

Aviv Amirav