Chromatography

Equipped with High-Speed Data Acquisition and Processing Via the Newly Developed ASSP Function The relatively slow scan speeds of conventional GC-MS systems has proven to be a limiting factor when adapting the techniques of “Fast GC” or comprehensive GCxGC to the GC/MS platform. Data acquisition speeds of 30Hz or less and 10,000 u/sec are too slow to provide enough points across an ultra sharp fast GC or a GCxGC peak for reliable quantitation.
New technology in mass spectrometry has been developed which allows us to increase the scan speed of our GC-MS system. This technology, called ASSP, is the key to faster data acquisition. Equipped in the new GCMS-QP-2010Ultra, it is a firmware protocol that optimizes the ion transmission hardware parameters with a highly efficient data collection algorithm allowing acquisition speeds of 20,000 u/sec and 100Hz. The ASSP provides the added benefit of maintaining system sensitivity at the elevated scan speeds. (Patent: US6610979)

Variation of chromatogram intensity at each scan speed

ASSP optimizes the ion transmission optics to maintain ion signal intensity across the entire mass range as the scan speed of the system increases.

Conventional method                       Patented method (ASSP)

High Sensitivity and High Speed Scanning

Fast GC/MS analysis is performed using ultra narrow-bore capillary columns at higher head pressures. The resulting peaks are very sharp and elute very quickly. To fully define these peaks 10 to 20 points are needed. In some cases, data collection at the conventional rate of between 10 and 30Hz is inadequate. The GCMS-QP2010 Ultra provides the solution with a 20,000 u/sec scan rate and 100Hz collection and processing speed.

Improved Sensitivity
In high-speed scan analysis, the sensitivity may decrease as the m/z value increases. The ASSP function, by acting to minimize these drops in sensitivity, results in a GC-MS that achieves much greater sensitivity than conventional instruments.

Mass Spectrum Pattern
The ASSP function makes it possible to reduce the drop in sensitivity that may occur in the high mass region, maintaining the mass spectral ratios observed in classical quadrupole systems. This means that library searches result in a high degree of accuracy.