Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry for Direct Mixture Analysis and Structure Elucidation.

The triple quadrupole mass spectrometer is shown to be a simple and highly efficient system for the observation of the fragmentation pattern of selected ions. The instrument consists of, in series, a CIEI ion source, a quadrupole mass filter, an RF-only quadrupole collision chamber, a second mass filter, and an electron multiplier. The high sensitivity of the MSMS technique with quadrupoles depends particularly on the highly efficient low energy collision-induced dissociation process in the strong focusing RF quadrupole field. Detection limits for methane and nitrobenzene of 10 to the minus 15 mole are shown. Analysis of a mixture of six components, including two isomers and an isobaric compound is presented. Chemical noise is virtually eliminated by the selection of both parent and fragment ion. An application of the system for structure elucidation is also described. Author