Mass Spectrometer Data Acquisition via Non-Overlapping Windows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data-independent acquisition methods in mass spectrometry face inefficiencies due to low ion utilization and increased complexity in spectrum processing, leading to mismatches and misjudgments of analyte ions when mass windows are either too small or too large.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a mass spectrometer where precursor ions are selectively passed through a first mass analyzer to exclude certain mass windows, allowing only ions outside these windows to enter a collision cell for dissociation, generating product ions which are then analyzed in a second mass analyzer, with non-overlapping mass windows scanned across the range to improve ion utilization and reduce data processing complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the mass window is made small to reduce spectrum complexity, then the ion utilization efficiency decreases and scanning time increases, but if the mass window is made large to improve ion utilization efficiency, then the spectrum complexity increases and data post-processing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mass window is divided into multiple sub-windows, and the collision cell is segmented to handle different mass ranges in separate physical zones. This allows the system to process a large overall mass window while keeping each sub-window small enough to maintain simple spectra and efficient ion utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spatial dimension by dividing the collision cell into multiple zones along the ion trajectory. Different mass windows are assigned to different spatial zones, transforming a one-dimensional mass filtering problem into a two-dimensional solution combining mass selection and spatial separation.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the mass window is made small to reduce spectrum complexity, then data post-processing becomes easier, but the scanning time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The mass analysis process is segmented into multiple parallel channels, each handling a specific sub-window. This segmentation allows simultaneous processing of multiple mass ranges, reducing total scanning time while maintaining simple spectra in each channel for easier post-processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The segmented collision cell enables continuous ion transmission and simultaneous collision dissociation across multiple mass windows. The system maintains continuous useful action by processing different mass ranges in parallel rather than sequentially, improving productivity without increasing individual spectrum complexity.
3Productivity
If the mass window is made large to improve ion utilization efficiency, then scanning speed increases, but mismatches and misjudgments of analyte ions occur due to increased spectrum complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The large mass window is segmented into smaller sub-windows assigned to different collision cell zones. This segmentation maintains high scanning speed by covering the full mass range efficiently while reducing spectrum complexity in each zone, thereby improving analyte ion identification accuracy by minimizing mismatches and misjudgments.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly enhances ion utilization efficiency, reduces data processing difficulties, and improves quantification capabilities by maintaining high ion intensity and simplifying deconvolution, while minimizing mismatches and misjudgments of analyte ions.
Implementation Method 1
a first mass analyzer, wherein the first mass analyzer selects at least one mass window such that the precursor ions located outside the mass window pass through the first mass analyzer and the precursor ions located within the mass window cannot pass through the first mass analyzer
Implementation Method 2
feeding the precursor ions passing through the first mass analyzer into a collision cell for collisional dissociation, to generate product ions
Implementation Method 3
feeding the product ions into a second mass analyzer for mass analysis and recording a spectrum
Data Source
AI summary
A data acquisition method in a mass spectrometer includes a. providing an ion source to generate precursor ions; b. feeding the precursor ions into a first mass analyzer that selects one mass window such that the precursor ions located outside the mass window pass through the first mass analyzer and the precursor ions located within the mass window cannot pass through the first mass analyzer; c. feeding the precursor ions passing through the first mass analyzer into a collision cell for collisional dissociation, to generate product ions; d. feeding the product ions into a second mass analyzer for mass analysis and recording a spectrum; and e. repeating Steps b-d. Each time when Step b is repeatedly performed, the selected mass window does not overlap with all the mass windows previously selected. After all the mass windows in a mass range are selected, the repetition is stopped.