Offering structural elucidation of peptides and other compunds at a fraction of the cost of TOF mass spectrometers, this is a new approach to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation
Agilent Technologies Europe has announced an agreement with MassTech, to develop a customised version of MassTech's atmospheric pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation (AP-Maldi) source as original equipment for sale on the Agilent 1100 Series LC/MSD Trap ion trap mass spectrometers, as well as possible future Agilent mass spectrometers.
AP-Maldi, a 'gentle' ionisation technique, is particularly well suited to the analysis of peptides and related compounds of interest to scientists doing proteomics research.
It may also have applicability in the high-volume analysis of drug candidates generated by combinatorial chemistry.
Until recently, Maldi plus the MS/MS data acquisition required for structural elucidation was available only from quadrupole-time-of-flight (Q-TOF) or time-of-flight-time-of-flight (TOF-TOF) mass spectrometers with prices approaching $500,000.
The combination of AP-Maldi with the LC/MSD Trap is expected to allow scientists to acquire MS/MS data from ions generated by Maldi for a fraction of that price. "We are extremely pleased at the prospect of offering our customers this ionisation choice," said Frank Cesarz, LC/MS marketing manager at Agilent.
"Combined with the intelligent, second-generation data-dependent MS/MS acquisition of the LC/MSD Trap, it should be a very sensitive, rugged, and inexpensive way to acquire large amounts of important proteomics data." Tests with peptide digests have shown excellent sensitivity for absolute sample amounts in the low femtomole range spotted onto the sample plate.
AP-Maldi analysis consumes only a fraction of the total sample deposited, allowing sample plates to be stored for further analysis.
Traditional Maldi sources operate under high vacuum.
Loading a new sample plate is a tedious process taking up to an hour to break vacuum, load a sample plate, re-establish vacuum, and allow the system to stabilise before analysis can resume.
Because AP-Maldi takes place at atmospheric pressure, a new sample plate can be loaded in seconds -- simplifying operation and greatly increasing sample throughput.
The 96-well sample plates are compatible with sample deposition by robotic preparation systems, which can also increase throughput.
Agilent will work closely with MassTech to improve source performance and adapt the AP-Maldi source to the LC/MSD Trap's ion source mounting system.
Shipments of the AP Maldi source are expected to begin in late summer 2002.
