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Ion trap mass spectrometry

Journal Article · · Chemical and Engineering News; (United States)
 [1]; ;  [2];  [3]
  1. Purdue Univ. (US)
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (US)
  3. Eli Lilly and Co. (US)

This paper reports on the quadrupole ion trap which is a mass spectrometer whose essential components can be held in one hand. But is has a mass range of about 10{sup 5} daltons per charge, provides molecular weight and structural information on biopolymers, and has the greatest sensitivity of all mass spectrometers. These features, however, has become available only within the past few years. They stem from an almost neglected 1958 invention, one in which interest was maintained by only a few research groups, notably those of John Todd at the University of Kent in England and Ray March at Trent University in Canada. Development of a new scanning method by George Stafford and his coworkers of Finnigan Corp. provided the impetus that led Finnigan to introduce a commercial ion trap in 1983. Since then, the device has been transformed from a simple gas chromatography detector to a high-performance mass spectrometer.

OSTI ID:
5565765
Journal Information:
Chemical and Engineering News; (United States), Journal Name: Chemical and Engineering News; (United States) Vol. 69:12; ISSN 0009-2347; ISSN CENEA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English