Mass Spectrometry with Time-Offset Electrospray Ion Beams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mass spectrometry systems face limitations in sensitivity, scan speed, and dynamic range, particularly in untargeted bottom-up proteomics workflows, which hinder the analysis of complex biological samples like proteins and metabolites, and existing ion transfer methods in mass spectrometry suffer from low efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a multi-beam mass spectrometry system with multiple ion trapping devices and mass spectrometers, each receiving ions from a common ion source, allowing independent operation and synchronized or delayed data acquisition to enhance sensitivity, scan speed, and dynamic range, and utilizing multiple ion transfer tubes to improve ion transfer efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional single-beam mass spectrometry is used, then the system structure is simple, but the sensitivity and dynamic range are insufficient for complex biological samples
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the ion beam into multiple parallel beams, with each beam directed to a separate mass spectrometer. This segmentation allows each instrument to independently analyze a portion of the ion population, thereby increasing overall sensitivity and dynamic range without requiring a single overly complex instrument.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple mass spectrometers into a coordinated system that shares a common ion source and sampling inlet. By merging the capabilities of multiple instruments while maintaining their operational independence, the system achieves enhanced measurement precision for complex biological samples.
2Measurement precision
If ion accumulation time is increased to improve sensitivity, then the scan speed decreases, but untargeted proteomics requires both high sensitivity and fast scanning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ion beam into multiple parallel beams, allowing each mass spectrometer to accumulate ions independently for extended periods. This parallel accumulation maintains high sensitivity while the combined system achieves fast effective scan speed by processing multiple ion populations simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous ion accumulation across multiple parallel beams, ensuring that useful ion detection action continues without interruption. This continuity maintains high sensitivity while the coordinated operation of multiple spectrometers provides rapid data acquisition across the full dynamic range.
3Productivity
If multiple ion transfer tubes are used to improve ion transfer efficiency, then the device complexity increases, but existing ion transfer methods suffer from low efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple ion transfer tubes, each dedicated to transporting ions from the common sampling inlet to a specific mass spectrometer. This segmentation of the ion transfer pathway improves efficiency by providing dedicated transport channels for each beam, reducing ion loss and interference while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.
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
The system achieves scalable sensitivity, scan speed, and dynamic range, enabling comprehensive analysis of complex biological samples with improved ion transfer efficiency and data acquisition capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
an ion source (e.g., an electrospray ion source) that produces ions
Implementation Method 2
the two or more ion trapping devices or mass spectrometers receiving the ions from the ion source via the sampling inlet of each of the ion trapping devices or mass spectrometers
Data Source
AI summary
A mass spectrometry system includes an electrospray ion source, one or more ion inlets, and one or more mass analyzers. The electrospray ion source includes at least a first electrospray emitter and a second electrospray emitter. The first electrospray emitter produces a first ion beam, and the second electrospray emitter produces a second ion beam. The mass spectrometry system measures the first ion beam produced by the first emitter and the second ion beam produced by the second emitter. A first point in time (T1) corresponds to a first chromatographic peak that the mass spectrometry system measures from the first ion beam. A second point in time (T2) corresponds to a second chromatographic peak that the mass spectrometry system measures from the second ion beam. The first point in time (T1) and the second point in time (T2) are separated by a predetermined time delay or offset (deltaT).