Apparatus and method of determining molecular weight of large molecules

Patent · 23 June 1998

OSTI ID:672527

Fuerstenau, S; Benner, W H; Madden, N M; Searles, W

A mass spectrometer determines the mass of multiply charged high molecular weight molecules. This spectrometer utilizes an ion detector which is capable of simultaneously measuring the charge z and transit time of a single ion as it passes through the detector. From this transit time, the velocity of the single ion may then be derived, thus providing the mass-to-charge ratio m/z for a single ion which has been accelerated through a known potential. Given z and m/z, the mass m of the single ion can then be calculated. Electrospray ions with masses in excess of 1 MDa and charge numbers greater than 425 e{sup {minus}} are readily detected. The on-axis single ion detection configuration enables a duty cycle of nearly 100% and extends the practical application of electrospray mass spectrometry to the analysis of very large molecules with relatively inexpensive instrumentation. 14 figs.

• Research Organization: University of California
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• Assignee: Univ. of California, Oakland, CA (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5,770,857/A/
• Application Number: PAN: 8-749,837
• OSTI ID: 672527
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

40 CHEMISTRY
DESIGN
MASS
MASS SPECTROMETERS
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
OPERATION