Industry-first GC/MS system with solid inert ion source provides up to three times better sensitivity for certain active compounds
Agilent Technologies has introduced the first commercial gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) system to feature a solid inert ion source.
Designed to integrate with Agilent's gas chromatographs, the Agilent 5973 inert mass selective detector (MSD) is up to three times more sensitive than typical GC/MS systems for the analysis of certain active compounds.
The 5973 inert MSD minimises the degradation of active compounds, providing better spectral quality and greater reliability.
It enables accurate, reliable analyses of previously problematic compounds such as pesticides and drugs in complex matrices.
It is suited for any GC/MS analysis, but its sensitivity and reliability make it ideal for environmental testing, food safety, forensic and homeland security applications.
Increased sensitivity and reliability.
Typical GC/MS systems use ion sources made of stainless steel, which can react with the active compounds in a sample and distort the subsequent mass spectral data.
Other systems feature a source with an inert coating, which can wear away over time from routine cleaning and operation.
The Agilent 5973 inert MSD is the first GC/MS system to have a solid inert ion source, giving it outstanding sensitivity and reliability over a longer period of time.
The new ion source provides superior sensitivity, enhancing analyte response three times for certain compounds, with the greatest percentage gain at low concentrations where detection is an issue.
The resulting improvements in spectra quality increase confidence in library search matches.
Maintenance needs are greatly reduced as even the most active compounds have difficulty adhering to the smooth, inert surface of the source.
In addition, the new inert source can be operated at higher temperatures - a benefit for analyses of compounds with high boiling points.
Improved MSD ChemStation software.
The Agilent 5973 inert MSD includes an upgraded version of the Agilent MSD ChemStation software that allows users to control two Agilent 5973 series MSDs from a single workstation. Other software improvements include simpler navigation and sample list setup, Microsoft Excel-compatible spreadsheets that are easier to use, and compatibility with Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP.
The Agilent 5973 inert MSD is available for order beginning 1 September 2003.
Current Agilent 5973 series MSD customers can upgrade their older systems by purchasing the 5973 inert source upgrade kit.
Agilent is offering a 20% discount to qualified 5973 users who upgrade by 1 March 2004.
