Bruker boosts resolution in updated mass spec

Bruker Corporation has launched an ultra-high resolution (UHR) quadrupole-time-of-flight (QTOF) mass spectrometer for applications such as pesticide screening.

The Impact II is designed to deliver confident analyses with enhanced performance, productivity and versatility, said the firm.

It is the latest in Bruker’s UHR-QTOF product line, with >50,000 Full-Sensitivity Resolution (FSR).

Rapid and sensitive screening

Joe Anacleto, VP market development, applied markets at the firm, said it is a mid-range platform best suited as a benchtop instrument for sensitivity and resolution.

“For pesticide screening it allows rapid screening of samples and it can separate components more easily,” he told FoodQualityNews.com.

“Resolution from the previous system [Impact HD] has increased it was 40,000 and now we have 50,000 resolution which is a key component to let you more easily separate components that are closely related in mass from background interferences.

“QTOF is focussed on high performance with small molecule pesticide analysis, high resolution to maintain performance while doing it at speed.

“The broad ultimate goal is to find everything on a QTOF, to using a triple quad where you have to really tell it what to look for.”

Trace analysis from matrices

Impact II offers analytical performance levels for all applications where trace analysis from complex, high-background matrices is a challenge – such as proteomics, identification of impurities, or residue screening.

Due to its sensitivity, mass-transfer ion optics and 50 Gbit/sec sampling technology, a dynamic range of 5 orders of magnitude is achieved at UHPLC speeds, with up to 50 Hz spectrum acquisition.

The benefits are for labs with higher volumes of pesticide screening, said Anacleto.

“The Impact II provides more access to routine users, with a database list of pesticides and automated software that allows data analysis and data reporting,” he said.

“You can pre-screen for qualitative and quantitative data having higher confidence that screening will find potential hits for pesticides and data from the QTOF will let you know if you are close to maximum residue levels (MRLs).

“If it isn’t contaminated then you don’t have to pass it on which streamlines operations, giving you confidence in the application and your workflow to provide accurate results and not give false negatives or false positives.”  

The impact II features isotopic pattern accuracy, a prerequisite for automated, reliable molecular formula determination of low abundance compounds in nano- and UHPLC peaks.

Dr Ole Vorm, the Bruker Daltonics vice president for the life-science research and proteomics business unit, said the products deliver performance in an accessible and cost-effective platform.

“Finally, our proteomics customers are excited about our breakthrough, rapid proteoform screening technology on the impact II, as well as its about 50% higher resolution for bottom-up proteomics, at full sensitivity and under UHPLC fast analysis conditions.”