Devices, created by MEPhI scientists on the principles of drift ion mobility spectrometry and mass- spectrometry, allow quickly, for some seconds, define contents of complex multicomponent samples, which is essential for a number of spheres, including pharmaceutics, criminalistics, safety, medicine, monitoring of environmental objects.
A growing necessity in such fast-acting mass-spectrometers has provoked creation of import-substitution domestic developments. Employees of the Department of molecular physics have created devices having unique peculiarities. Unique scientific-technical solutions, offered by our specialists, allow reach high analytical characteristics, the key ones among which are quickness and reliability of information acquisition.
In particular, one of the main advantages of a new hybrid device on the basis of time-of-flight spectrometry and ion mobility spectrometry are high selectivity and the speed of analysis (3-100 sec.) under a high number of traceable target components. The reached detection limit in the liquid is 1 molecule for 5 billion molecules of the basis. High selectivity is reached by a consecutive division of probe components by 2 characteristics: the size of ionized molecules in ion mobility spectrometres and then by mass ratio to charge. Such two-dimensional division allows analyse certain very complex multi-component samples.
Devices, created in MEPhI, are based on the principles of drift ion mobility spectrometry and mass- spectrometry. “Traditional methods of detection of multi-component samples’ contents combine liquid or gas chromatography and mass- spectrometry which provide for long duration of measuring lasting for dozens of minutes. In case of ion mobility spectrometry - time-of-flight mass-spectrometry – the time of measuring can be diminished 10-100 times, commented one of the devices’ developers, Associate Professor at the Department of molecular physics Alexey Sysoev. – This is crucial for a number of applications. In particular, under the development of new medicines at the stage of synthesis the analysis of a vast number of samples is required, and in the field of safety the efficiency of the analysis allows increase the number of inspections with high level of selectivity”.
One more important peculiarity of drift ion mobility spectrometres is a higher resolving power reaching 100. Apart from the possibility of separation on the mobility of a big number of probe components, it will allow raise the precision of defining the modified mobility of researched compounds, which has an important meaning for their further identification. This peculiarity provided for the possibility of successful application of devices in Russia and abroad.
One of device developers – Associate Professor of the Molecular Physics Department Alexey Sysoev
Nowadays MEPhI scientists are working under a method of raising of selectivity and sensitivity of devices and methods, which will allow increase possible applications in the sphere of sciences about life and oil analysis. The raising of method dimensions is of great interest, which is possible due to the inclusion of ion mobility high-resolution spectrometer into the hybrid device, which our scientists hope to accomplish in cooperation with Wichita State University (the USA).
