March 7, 2016 (Pittcon 2016, Atlanta, GA) -- At Pittcon 2016 (Booth #2857) JEOL will demonstrate the latest features of the game-changing open air ambient ionization mass spectrometer system. This third-generation AccuTOFTM-DART® 4G couples the facile operation of the DART (Direct Analysis in Real Time) ion source with the high-resolution, accurate mass capability of the AccuTOF time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Not only can the user rapidly acquire data for mixtures and complete unknowns without sample carryover, but the resulting spectra yield unambiguous assignments, isotopic ratios and elemental compositions. The DART ion source, patented by JEOL, is fully integrated with the AccuTOF without requiring additional pumps, flanges, or interface hardware. This makes the AccuTOF an “ambient ionization toolbox” that can carry out a range of ambient ionization techniques including several DART techniques, inlet ionization, paper spray and more without having to change any hardware or remove the DART ion source. The AccuTOF-DART produces clean, reproducible, easy-to-interpret data.
The AccuTOF-DART 4G samples virtually anything in its native form. Many analyses can be carried out with little or no sample preparation. The AccuTOF is a simple, robust and versatile atmospheric pressure ionization high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer (API-HRTOFMS). It can provide solutions for a wide variety of fields with a variety of atmospheric and ambient ionization sources.
Recent Novel Applications of AccuTOF-DART
In 2016, the AccuTOF-DART was coupled with the Biochromato, Inc. ionRocket thermal desorption and pyrolysis system to examine pressure-sensitive duct tapes for forensics applications. This system is available for demonstration in the JEOL booth at Pittcon.
In 2015, researchers collaborated to publish a paper in Nature, after using the AccuTOF-DART mass spectrometer to derive a method for distinguishing one species from another by analyzing the metabolome, or small-molecule profile of an organism that ultimately reflects the genes that distinguish it. The authors demonstrate how the method is robust, rapid, and yields consistent results for five different species groups in "A High Throughput Ambient Mass Spectrometric Approach to Species Identification and Classification from Chemical Fingerprint Signatures," Scientific Reports 5, Article number: 11520 (2015).
A publication from JEOL researchers is now in press that describes the use of dopant-assisted argon DART to produce molecular ions by a mechanism that resembles atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI). Dopant-assisted argon DART adds versatility to the AccuTOF-DART’s “ambient ionization toolbox”.