Sequencing peptides without scanning the reflectron: post-source decay with a curved-field reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

A time-of-flight mass spectrometer has been developed using a reflectron in which the voltages placed on the lens elements correspond to a function describing the arc of a circle. This curved-field reflectron enables acquisition of focused product-ion mass spectra at a single reflectron voltage. In this paper, we present results from this instrument for the amino acid sequencing of several peptides and describe the method of mass calibration.

High-performance liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry and its application to peptide analyses.

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been successfully interfaced on-line with liquid secondary-ion time-of-flight mass spectrometry, utilizing a continuous-flow interface. Time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) is a low-resolution, high-mass-range technique, compatible with extremely rapid data acquisition rates. Thus a TOF-MS system is extremely well suited for coupling with HPLC. This paper describes the interface used to couple the HPLC and TOF-MS as well as the basic operating principles of such a system. Using both standard and packed-capillary reversed-phase HPLC columns, the HPLC-TOF-MS system has been successfully used to separate and detect peptides, providing molecular weight information for the peptide analytes. Experimental data, including chromatograms (UV, reconstructed ion and selected ion) and mass spectra, are presented to demonstrate the ability of the HPLC-liquid secondary-ion TOF-MS system to resolve chromatographically analytes as well as to resolve mass spectrometrically analytes which are unresolved on the chromatographic column.

Liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry with high-speed integrated transient recording.

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been interfaced to a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The interface is a continuous flow probe and ions are desorbed from the liquid matrix by energetic ion bombardment. Pulsed and delayed ion extraction from the source permits the use of broad ionization times, results in the production of analog signals in each time-of-flight cycle, and provides both energy and spatial focusing. A high-speed integrated transient recording system has been developed and is also reported. This instrument is the prototype for development of a high-speed, high-mass range LC detector with high duty cycle. Its performance is demonstrated for the separation of several mixtures of small peptides.

A pulsed time-of-flight mass spectrometer for liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry.

The design and performance of a new time-of-flight mass spectrometer is reported. The instrument combines the advantages of a pulsed drawout TOF analyzer with a liquid secondary ion source. Differences from commercially available pulsed TOF analyzers (Wiley/McLaren type) are discussed with regard to operation with ion desorption from a liquid matrix.