How to Enhance Productivity with Integrated Mass Detection

The Microsaic 4000 MiD^® is a miniaturized single quadrupole mass detector designed explicitly for non-specialists in mass spectroscopy (MS).

With the equivalent performance of conventional MS systems, it is significantly smaller and easier to operate and maintain with a considerably reduced cost of ownership.

The 4000 MiD^® has the vacuum system, electronics, and computer all integrated into a single unit, enabling the instrument to be installed where no other MS can be easily deployed, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Microsaic 4000 MiD^® utilizes chip-based components. Image Credit: Microsaic Systems plc

The Microsaic MiDas^TM is a compact interface module that facilitates the simple deployment of mass detection in various online, at-line, and offline applications. Automated dilution is offered by the MiDas^TM_, which allows MS analysis to be carried out with minimal sample handling.

Microsaic Systems' application portfolio includes traditional LC-MS analysis and previously unserved markets that will find deployable mass detection beneficial at the point of need.

This article discusses the versatility of Microsaic Systems' application range and the benefits of improved process productivity and profitability via the integration of simple-to-use mass detection.

Mass Directed Purification

Purification methods, such as preparative and flash chromatography, are crucial in producing specialty chemicals and compound synthesis. Integrating simple-to-use mass detection in a conventional purification workflow addresses many limitations of using optical detection alone.

In the conventional workflow, fraction collection is typically monitored by detecting ultraviolet/visible light (UV/VIS).

However, this method is limited because of uncertainty regarding the composition of the collected fraction and results in offline MS analysis being conducted by specialized facilities to precisely identify the fraction composition.

Fraction collection with online mass detection removes the added time and cost associated with offline MS analysis.

Microsaic Systems have successfully demonstrated process improvements with savings in time and cost for the purification of peptides and small molecules.¹

Direct Analysis

Direct injection MS analysis offers rapid mass identification and confirmation. The method involves automated online dilution with minimal sample preparation.

Direct injection MS analysis can be applied in the pharmaceutical field to screen samples quickly and as a teaching aid in academia. Direct injection MS has been demonstrated for detecting counterfeit and adulterated alcoholic drinks by Microsaic Systems.²

Microsaic Systems performed a whisky fingerprint analysis to demonstrate the ability to distinguish differences in blends and brands of whiskies.

Reaction Monitoring

Mass detection can be used for real-time analysis of the reaction’s composition for online monitoring of chemical transformations.

This specific workflow delivers data for monitoring the starting materials, identifying the presence of reactive transients and impurities, determining steady-state conditions, and optimizing the reaction yield.

Online mass detection for reaction monitoring provides rapid screening and efficient reaction optimization. This eliminates the need for traditional offline analysis and its associated cost and time consequences.

Microsaic Systems have demonstrated all the advantages of integrating simple-to-use mass detection into chemical synthesis workflows for real-time analysis.³

Direct Extraction

At-line extraction MS analysis can be performed using a hand-held extraction platform with the 4000 MiD^® mass detector to provide automated sample clean-up and concentration before the MS analysis occurs.

Microsaic Systems successfully demonstrated at-line extraction MS analysis of caffeine from Redbull as a rapid, straightforward, and low-cost technique for screening target analytes in complex matrices.⁴

Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)

TLC-MS is becoming increasingly popular for applications such as identifying and elucidating unknown substances in research, environmental, and forensic fields.

The TLC-MS system offers a simple way to elute a desired TLC spot from a plate, direct this to the mass detector, and quickly acquire mass spectral data for compound identification.

Integrating the TLC-MS interface with the miniaturized, deployable, single quadrupole 4000 MiD^® mass detector delivers a simple-to-use, standalone solution for TLC spot identification.⁵

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

Using HPLC with MS provides a powerful analytical tool for detecting and identifying chemicals in complex mixtures. The compactness of the Microsaic 4000 MiD^® means it is an ideal upgrade for users seeking to expand the detection capability of their existing HPLC instrument.

The 4000 MiD^® provides chemists with an easy-to-use single quadrupole mass detector that can be used for various bench-top LC applications.

The detection of peptides, carbohydrates, pesticides, and the quantification of a pharmaceutical drug using the 4000 MiD^®, reported by Microsaic Systems, has shown excellent system application versatility with minimal instrument optimization being required.⁶

Conclusion

Employing miniaturized mass detection earlier in a process can improve productivity and provide conclusive answers at a substantially lower cost and without the infrastructure of conventional mass spectrometry systems.

The technology may be utilized by personnel without specialist training in analytical chemistry which considerably widens the range of available applications.

Microsaic's application portfolio, based on online simple-to-use mass detection, minimizes the complexity of analytical processes relative to conventional offline analysis. These applications range from LC-MS to previously unserved markets that would benefit from deployable mass detection available at the point of need.

To find out if you could increase productivity by removing the bottleneck of traditional off-line analysis, contact Microsaic to discuss the integration of low-cost, miniaturized MS into your process: [email protected]

References and Further Reading

1. Purification of peptides and small molecules using a preparative LC and Microsaic 4000 MiD0 ' mass detector.
2. Rapid detection of counterfeit and adulterated alcoholic drinks by deployable and direct ESl-MS.
3. Online reaction monitoring of continuous flow chemical synthesis using Microsaic 4000 MiD^® mass spectrometer.
4. At-line extraction MS analysis of caffeine in Redbull.
5. Direct TLC-MS analysis using the 4000MiD^®.
6. HPLC-MS applications of the Microsaic 4000 MiD^TM.

This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Microsaic Systems plc.

For more information on this source, please visit Microsaic Systems plc.