Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry Instrumentation

Explore the chromatography and mass spectrometry instrumentation available in the College of Science, including descriptions, capabilities, and common applications.

Thermo Vanquish Ultra High Pressure Liquid Chromatograph

This is an Ultra High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) system equipped with an UltraViolet (UV) detector. The UHPLC can be fitted with different types of column chemistry to separate an enormous variety of compounds, performing size exclusion, ion exchange, reverse phase, and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography.

The UV detector allows for a broad range of detectable samples, including biological molecules (proteins, DNA, RNA), medicinal compounds (aspirin, antibodies, cancer drugs), and food products (caffeine, vitamins).

Example Use Cases:

  • Comparison of vitamin purity in commercially available products
  • Analysis of pharmaceutical compounds for similarity and purity
  • Quantification of caffeine concentration in human urine samples

Thermo TSQ Endura Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (QQQ-MS)

The Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (QQQ) is a powerful tool for identifying compounds that are separated by an attached UHPLC. By separating a complex mixture (like human urine), each individual compound within the mixture can be analyzed and identified by comparing its mass to a known library of masses.

The three different quadrupoles can be combined to isolate a target molecule of interest, such as caffeine, and then fragment it to allow for a more detailed investigation of the chemical structure.

Example Use Cases:

  • Testing breast milk for the presence of unusual amino acids from natural products
  • Identification of caffeine in urine as a benchmark model for drug analysis
  • Breaking a protein down into peptides to check for amino acid changes or substitutions

Agilent 7890A/5975C Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS)

This gas chromatograph is connected to a sensitive mass spectrometer to easily identify peaks of interest for volatile and semi-volatile analytes. It handles matrices ranging from simple air and drinking water to highly complex food, soil, and sludge samples.

The system uses electron ionization to ionize elements that have been separated by the gas chromatography column, enabling high-precision mass detection.

Example Use Cases:

  • Measurement of volatile organic compounds present in local air and detection of hazardous levels in workplaces
  • Checking chemical synthesis reactions for correct target products
  • Quality control of commercial products for unwanted compounds or contaminants

Sciex CESI 8000 Plus Capillary Electrophoresis (CE)

Capillary electrophoresis is a separation technique optimized for charged and polar metabolites and peptides, enabling high-resolution separation of proteins and protein complexes. This machine operates on a similar principle to standard poured-gel separations, but scales it down using higher voltages for faster and higher-fidelity resolution.

This is a critical tool for pharmaceutical validation to demonstrate drug purity. The CESI 8000 can also be connected directly to the QQQ Mass Spectrometer for structural mass identification.

Example Use Cases:

  • Detecting modifications to antibody drugs or antibody-drug conjugates
  • Quality control of DNA sequencing libraries prior to full sequencing runs
  • Concentration analysis of DNA and RNA samples

Agilent 7890 Gas Chromatograph with FID

Gas chromatography allows for the precise separation and detection of volatile compounds that boil below 250°C. These targets include liquid-form alcohols as well as more volatile compounds existing within the headspace of sealed vials.

The integrated Flame Ionization Detector (FID) provides an extremely sensitive method for tracking these volatile targets. Additionally, an attached autosampler allows users to queue up roughly 100 samples for automated, overnight runs.

Example Use Cases:

  • Checking synthesis reactions for correct products and potential reactant contamination
  • Oil and gas analysis of raw materials and finished petroleum products

Agilent 1100 High Pressure Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC)

This is a flexible, highly reliable HPLC system equipped with a UV detector. While it does not feature mass detection capabilities, this instrument effectively handles a diverse array of liquid separations ranging from reverse phase to size exclusion workflows.

The UV optical path ensures reliable quantification and tracking across a wide array of target molecules.

Example Use Cases:

  • Analyzing product purity across a variety of manufacturing industries
  • Identification and quantification of targeted nutrients in blood samples
  • Screening for illicit drug traces in urine samples