Tofwerk Ag

Carsten Stoermer

Marc Gonin

Felipe Lopez-Hilfiker

Urs Rohner

Michael Kamrath

Manuel Hutterli

Sonja Klee

Steffen Bräkling

The invention relates to a method for mass analysing a sample by ionising the sample to first sample ions and to second sample ions and by obtaining mass spectra from the first sample ions and the second sample ions with a mass analyser (). Thereby, repeatedly, a first assay is obtained from the sample and transferred past any chromatography column to a first ion source () and ionised by the first ion source () to the first sample ions, wherein the first sample ions obtained from the respective first assay are transferred to the mass analyser (), wherein at least one first mass spectrum is obtained with the mass analyser () from the first sample ions obtained from the respective first assay and ionised by and transferred from the first ion source (). Furthermore, at least once, a second assay is obtained from the sample within a time window being associated with the respective second assay and having a window width, wherein the respective second assay is transferred for chromatographic separation via a chromatography column () to at least one second ion source () in that after being chromatographically separated, the respective second assay eluting from the chromatography column () is transferred to the at least one second ion source () and ionised by the at least one second ion source () to the second sample ions, wherein the second sample ions obtained from the respective second assay are transferred to the mass analyser (), wherein at least one second mass spectrum is obtained with the mass analyser () from the second sample ions obtained from the respective second assay which has been ionised by and transferred from the at least one second ion source (). Thereby, each one of the at least one second mass spectrum is assigned to one or more of the at least one first mass spectrum from the first sample ions obtained from one of the first assays which has been obtained from the sample within the time window associated with the respective second assay which has been chromatographically separated and ionised by the at least one second ion source () to the second sample ions from which the respective one of the at least one second mass spectrum has been obtained. Furthermore, the invention relates to an apparatus () for mass analysing a sample with the method according to the invention.

Method and apparatus for mass analysing a sample

An ion molecule reactor for generating analyte ions from analytes comprises: a) a reaction volume in which reagent ions can interact with the analytes in order to form analyte ions; b) at least one analyte inlet for introducing the analytes along an inlet path into the reaction volume whereby, preferably, the inlet path runs essentially along at least a first section of the predefined transit path in the reaction volume; c) at least one reagent ion source and/or at least one reagent ion inlet for providing reagent ions into the reaction volume; d) optionally, at least one ion guide comprising an electrode arrangement which is configured for producing an alternating electrical, magnetic and/or electromagnetic field, that allows for guiding the reagent ions and/or the analyte ions at least along a section of the predefined transit path, preferably along the whole transit path, through the reaction volume. There is also provided a sampler comprising one or more chambers, wherein each chamber is configured for receiving an individual sample and comprises an inlet and an outlet, such that a gaseous fluid flow can pass through each of the chambers.

Ion molecule reactor and setup for analyzing complex mixtures

Growing community of inventors

Thun, Switzerland

Carsten Stoermer