Agilent Introduces GC/Q-TOF, Bringing Unprecedented Resolving Power to GC/MS Analysis
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Agilent Technologies Inc. has introduced the 7200 Q-TOF (quadrupole time-of-flight) gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) system, delivering a new level of chromatographic and spectral resolution to a wide range of biological and chemical GC/MS analyses.
The new Agilent 7200 Q-TOF combines the proven performance of the Agilent 7890A GC, the latest generation of the world’s biggest selling GC, with the high spectral resolution of a Q-TOF analyzer. The Q-TOF also features time-tested designs for high-confidence results.
“We created the 7200 Q-TOF so customers can coax more qualitative and quantitative information out of increasingly complex samples,” said Chris Toney, vice president, Agilent Gas Phase Division. “When the masses of target compounds are extremely similar and sample matrices are really complex, this new platform truly shines.”
The Agilent 7200 Q-TOF is well-suited for analyzing target compounds and unknowns in challenging applications such as metabolomics, food safety, natural products research, environmental analysis, sports-doping detection, and energy research.
New MassHunter deconvolution software facilitates analyzing a wide range of compounds in TOF mode. For particularly challenging samples, users can deploy high-resolution product ion spectra in Q-TOF mode to remove matrix interference and clarify fragmentation patterns. This guides structural elucidation of unknowns, even at trace levels.
A new removable ion source allows R&D labs to switch quickly between optimized EI and PCI/NCI sources with no loss of vacuum in the Q-TOF manifold, saving a great deal of time. Each step in the source change is monitored by the MS system to ensure error-free operation.
The quartz monolithic quadrupole analyzer and collision cell are identical to the one used in the popular Agilent 7000B Quadrupole GC/MS/MS. Its unique stability allows the analyzer to be heated to 200 degrees Celsius to eliminate contamination commonly seen with metal quadrupoles operated at lower temperatures.
Using proven components from Agilent LC/TOF product lines, the proprietary INVAR flight tube is sealed in a vacuum-insulated shell to maintain excellent mass accuracy regardless of ambient temperature changes. Its length and dual-stage ion mirror deliver high resolution across the mass range.
The 7200’s fast electronics enable a sampling rate up to 32 Gbit/sec, which provides high resolution, mass accuracy, and sensitivity for low-abundance samples. Dual-gain amplifiers simultaneously process detector signals through low- and high-gain channels, providing a wide dynamic range of 105.
The analog-to-digital detector records multiple ion events, enabling very accurate mass assignments over wide mass range and dynamic range of concentrations. Internal reference mass compounds can be delivered to the source at either low or high concentrations.
MassHunter Software
Agilent MassHunter software is designed to facilitate TOF and Q-TOF analyses from instrument setup to final report. Data analysis tools help users quickly find, compare and identify compounds. This includes compound-centric data mining and navigating to streamline and simplify MS data analysis.
Next-generation deconvolution function extracts spectral information from complex separations. For profiling experiments, Mass Profiler Professional automatically identifies significant differences between sample sets and confirms identification through accurate mass library searches.