A new approach for accurate mass assignment on a multi-turn time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Issue 6 (December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hondo, Toshinobu; Jensen, Kirk R; Aoki, Jun; Toyoda, Michisato
• Is Part Of: European journal of mass spectrometry. Volume 23:Issue 6(2017)
• Page Start: 385
• Page End: 392
• Publication Date: 2017-12
• Subjects: Mass calibration -- accurate mass assignment -- time-of-flight mass spectrometry -- multi-turn time-of-flight spectrometer -- helium-counting; Mass spectrometry -- Periodicals; Mass Spectrometry; Mass spectrometry; Periodicals; Periodicals; 543.6505
• DOI: 10.1177/1469066717723755
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1469-0667

Abstract

A simple, effective accurate mass assignment procedure for a time-of-flight mass spectrometer is desirable. External mass calibration using a mass calibration standard together with an internal mass reference (lock mass) is a common technique for mass assignment, however, using polynomial fitting can result in mass-dependent errors. By using the multi-turn time-of-flight mass spectrometer infiTOF-UHV, we were able to obtain multiple time-of-flight data from an ion monitored under several different numbers of laps that was then used to calculate a mass calibration equation. We have developed a data acquisition system that simultaneously monitors spectra at several different lap conditions with on-the-fly centroid determination and scan law estimation, which is a function of acceleration voltage, flight path, and instrumental time delay. Less than 0.9 mDa mass errors were observed for assigned mass to charge ratios ( m/z ) ranging between 4 and 134 using only 40 Ar + as a reference. It was also observed that estimating the scan law on-the-fly provides excellent mass drift compensation.