New LTQ Mass Spectrometer

[beige_alert]

I know some of you must have been wondering if we were ever going to get a better mass spectrometer in the Protein Lab. Answer: heck yea! Our new Thermo Electron Finnigan LTQ linear ion trap has arrived. I have photos from day one of installation on Flickr in my Laboratory set, or just look for the LTQ tag. More photos will follow.

The nice thing about mass spectrometers is that, although they cost a lot, at least they look like they cost a lot. Some machines cost a hundred-thousand dollars and just don’t look like much, just a bunch of plastic tubes and solenoids. A mass spec may cost a third of a million, but it looks like a third of a million bucks, with shiny high-vacuum components, turbomolecular pumps, polished ion optic components, and lots and lots of electronics.

Comments

Ion trap?

[popefelix.livejournal.com]

I hope it's humane. I can't stand to think of those poor little ions, one of their few remaining valent bonds crushed beneath the trap, dying in pain. Especially after they've already lost some of their electrons to some big bully of a gamma ray.

Re: Ion trap?

[beige-alert.livejournal.com]

Well, this is a linear ion trap, so there is more space for the trapped ions and they get to stay with many more of their ion friends than in the traditional 3-D trap. Their fate, however, is to be collided with helium to fragment them, the product ions slamming into the detector dynodes.

They actually charge by gaining protons from the solvent as it is evaporated at high temperature and low pressure, forming a fine mist due to the several kilovolts applied to the spray tip. The little droplets sort of blow apart due to mutual repulsion of the charges. At least, if everything is adjusted right they do.