Each analytical method has its strengths and limitations. The combination of analytical techniques can not only complement each other's strengths, but also has a synergistic effect to obtain certain functions that the two techniques do not have when used alone. Chromatography-mass spectrometry technology is one of the most important separation and analysis methods in modern times. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) developed earlier and the technology is more mature. The GC/MS is the earliest commercialized combination instrument, suitable for the analysis of small molecular weight, volatile, thermally stable, and vaporizable compounds. The spectrum obtained by electron bombardment (EI) can be compared with the standard library. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) can separate and analyze large molecular weight, thermally unstable, non-volatile, and polar compounds. There is no commercial spectrum library to compare and query, you can only build your own library or analyze the spectrum by yourself. Therefore, LC-MS has a broader application prospect.
LC-MS is a conventional sample analysis technique, which uses liquid chromatography (LC) as the separation system and mass spectrometry (MS) as the detection system. The sample is separated from the mobile phase in the MS part, and after being ionized, the ion fragments are separated by mass by the MS mass analyzer, and the mass spectrum is obtained by the detector.LC-MS combines the high separation capability of LC with the high selectivity and high sensitivity of MS, making up for the shortcomings of traditional liquid phase detectors.
Commonly used LC-MS has two classification systems
The ionization methods of mass spectrometry include atmospheric pressure ionization (API), matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI), and fast atom bombardment (FAB).
API often uses quadrupole or ion trap mass analyzer, including electrospray ionization source (ESI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI). ESI is suitable for the analysis of medium and high polarity compounds and is currently the most widely used ionization method in LC-MS. APCI is suitable for the analysis of low-polarity and medium-molecular-weight compounds. The range of compounds that APPI is suitable for analysis is similar to that of APCI and is a supplement to APCI.
MALDI commonly used time of flight (TOF) as a mass analyzer, with high sensitivity and simple sample preparation, has been widely used for the analysis of proteins, peptides, nucleotides, polysaccharides and synthetic polymers.
FAB has unique advantages for the analysis of thermally unstable and non-volatile compounds, especially for the analysis of peptides and proteins.
Mass analyzers for mass spectrometry include quadrupoles, ion traps, time-of-flight and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance.
The quadrupole mass analyzer makes the ions that meet specific conditions vibrate stably under the action of an alternating electric field, and reach the detector through the quadrupole. Unipolar quadrupole mass spectrometry is only used for primary mass spectrometry analysis to obtain molecular weight information of compounds. Triple quadrupole mass spectrometry can be used for secondary mass spectrometry analysis to obtain structural information such as the molecular weight and fragment ions of the compound.
The ion trap mass analyzer has the function of multi-stage mass spectrometry, which is more advantageous for analyzing the structure of the compound, and its sensitivity is lower than that of the quadrupole mass analyzer.
The time-of-flight mass analyzer realizes the separation according to the different flying speeds of ions with different mass-to-charge ratios, which causes the difference in drift time. Time-of-flight mass analyzers are often used in conjunction with MALDI, with fast scanning speed and wide analysis range.
The Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Analyzer has high resolution, accurate measurement results, and fast data acquisition. It can be connected with a variety of ionization methods and can be used for multi-stage mass spectrometry detection combined with MALDI and ESI. It can be used in biological sciences. Molecular research.
With the improvement of LC-MS technology, LC-MS has been widely used in many fields such as medical research, food analysis and environmental analysis.
In medical research, it can be used for drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, impurity analysis, and natural product analysis. In food analysis, it can be used to detect prohibited ingredients, harmful antibiotics, antibacterial drugs, hormones and pesticide residues. It can be used in the analysis of organic pollutants and pesticide residues in environmental analysis.
What is Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (LC–MS) technique?
LC–MS is an advanced analytical method that integrates liquid chromatography for compound separation with mass spectrometry for molecular detection and identification, enabling precise analysis of complex chemical mixtures.
What is the difference between HPLC–MS and LC–MS?
HPLC–MS specifically refers to coupling High Performance Liquid Chromatography with mass spectrometry, while LC–MS is a broader term that can involve different liquid chromatography techniques. HPLC–MS is one of the most widely used configurations for high-resolution separation and detection.
What is High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Mass Spectrometry (MS)?
HPLC separates compounds based on their interactions with a stationary phase under high pressure, delivering high-resolution chromatographic separation. MS determines molecular mass and structural details by analyzing ionized species. Their combination provides both separation and molecular characterization in one workflow.
What does LC–MS detect in analytical studies?
LC–MS can be used to determine molecular weights, identify unknown compounds, quantify analytes, analyze impurities, and characterize molecular structures across a wide range of chemical and biochemical samples.
What LC–MS analytical capabilities does BOC Sciences provide?
BOC Sciences offers LC–MS services for qualitative and quantitative analysis, structural elucidation, impurity profiling, and molecular confirmation, supporting applications in chemical research, material analysis, and complex mixture characterization.
BOC Sciences provides liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry services for precise detection, identification, and quantification. Our solutions deliver high sensitivity and specificity.
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