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From the 1960s to today: How amazing is the development of mobile mass spectrometry?
In the field of analytical chemistry, ion mobility mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) is a very important analytical method. This technology separates gas-phase ions based on their interaction with the collision gas and their mass, and analyzes them in detail in a very short time. In this process, the development history of IMS technology is not only surprising, but also shows the frequency and speed of scientific and technological progress.
Development History
The origins of IAN mobile mass spectrometry can be traced back to the 1960s. One of the early pioneers, Earl W. McDaniel, is credited as the father of IMS-MS, and in the 1960s he combined a low-field ion-mobile drift cell with a mass divider. In 1963, Bell Laboratories pioneered the groundbreaking combination of time-of-flight mass spectrometry and ion mobility mass spectrometry.
In 1969, Cohen et al. patented the IMS-QMS system, which at the time represented a major breakthrough in TOFMS.
As time goes by, many technological innovations emerge. In 1996, Guevremont et al. presented a poster on IMS-TOF at the ASMS meeting, and in 1997, Tanner patented a quadrupole field device that could be used for IMS separations, further advancing research in this field.
Instrument Settings
Ion mobility mass spectrometry instruments usually consist of an ion mobility spectrometer and a mass spectrometer. The sample is converted into ions from the gas phase, a process that can be accomplished using a variety of ionization methods that vary depending on the physical state of the analyte.
In the analysis of solid samples, laser-assisted desorption ionization (MALDI) is widely used, especially for large molecules.
Separation technology of ion migration
In IMS-MS, various ion movement techniques can be combined to achieve higher sensitivity. For example, drift tube ion mobility spectrometry (DTIMS) uses an electric field to move ions in a tube, and different ions are separated due to differences in collision cross-sections. In addition, differential shift spectroscopy (DMS) technology is also advancing, which uses asymmetric waveforms of high voltage for separation.
Application Scope
The potential of IMS-MS technology for analyzing complex mixtures cannot be underestimated. Depending on the mobility, it enables the structure of gas-phase ions to be studied in depth and has advantages in molecular modeling analysis. This technology plays a vital role in the discovery of new compounds, explosives detection and protein analysis.
Recently, micro-FAIMS has been integrated with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, enabling rapid separation of ions prior to mass analysis, greatly improving the sensitivity of the analysis.
Nowadays, gas-phase ion activation methods are also used to explore complex structures in depth. Among them, the collision-induced unfolding (CIU) technique allows researchers to observe changes in ion structure and gain a deeper understanding of non-covalent interactions between molecules. These methods have demonstrated their effectiveness in a variety of fields, including pharmaceutical analysis and biochemical applications.
Looking into the future, will IMS-MS technology continue to play an important role in the scientific community and lead a new trend in analytical chemistry?
