Application of mass spectrometry

IN THIS ARTICLE I DISCUSS ABOUT THE APPLICATION OF MASS SPECTROMETRY

• Mass Spectrometry is an analytical technique that utilize the degree of deflection of charged particles by a magnetic field to find the relative masses of molecular ions and fragments.  
•  It is a powerful method because it provides a great deal of information and can be conducted on tiny samples.
• Mass spectrometry is an instrumental technique in which sample is converted to rapidly moving positive ions by electron bombardment and charged particle are separated according to masses .

 The fantastic development of mass spectrometry (MS) in the last 30 years has led this technique to be applied practically in all analytical fields. There many application of mass spectrometry .

Application of Mass Spectrometry in Proteomics

           The term Proteomics refers to the analysis of all proteins in a living system, including the description of co- and post-translationally modified proteins and alternatively spliced variants.  Mass spectrometry  become the core technology in proteomics.Mass spectrometry (MS) is at the heart of virtually all proteomics experiments as it provides the key tools for the analysis of proteins.The identification of proteins in proteomics is almost exclusively achieved by mass spectrometry. Current MS methods can identify any protein for which a genome sequence is known. MS is highly sensitive: proteins present in femtomole quantities can be identified on a routine basis and extension to low zeptomole amounts has been achieved.

Biotechnology and pharmaceutical 

•  To determine chemical structure of drug and chemical metabolites.
•  Detection/quantification of impurities, drugs and their metabolites in biological fluids and tissues.
• Analysis of liquid mixture
• Fingerprinting
• Nutraceuticals /herbal drugs /tracing source of natural poduct

Qualitative applications

1. Determination of  molecular weight 

     Mass spectrometry serves as the best technique for the determination or conformation of molecular weight of compounds that can easily volatilized

      2. Determination of molecular formula

        For the determination of molecular formula by mass spectrometry, it is essential to identify the molecular ion peak as well as its exact mass.

      3. Determination of structure of compounds

       Bombardment of vaporized sample molecule with a high beam of electrons results in their fragmentation producing a large number of ions with varying masses.

       4. Determination pf partial molecular formula

        Generally ,atoms are polyisotopic.In mass spectrometer, ions are selected according to their actual mass.Exact information about the composition of the selected ions is furnished by the mass distribution of their molecular ion..

Space Applications 

     An increasing amount of information is being gathered on parts of our solar system other than the earth. In particular data has been acquired for Mars and in experiments underway at the present time, for Saturn’s moon Titan.

Clinical testing and toxicolgy

                 In born error of metabolism, cancer, diabetes, various poisons and drug abuse.

Quantitative applications

1.  Determination of isotopes abundance

     Although differences in the masses of isotopes of elements is very small, the isotopes abundance i.e the.,  the isotopic composition of molecule within an easily vaporizable sample can be determined by mass spectrometry 

The information so obtained may be   useful for 

• Trace studies with isotopes
• Determination of atomic weight of compounds.
• Determination of age of rock and minerals
• Study of origin as well as  nature solar system 

2.. Determination of isotope ratio

      Mass spectrometry is used to determine isotope ratio which in turn helps to determine the concentration of individuals components presents in complex mixture from which it cannot be separated quantitatively 

MS

 

Use of  MS -MALDI

         MALDI is soft ionization technique in which mass spectrometry allowing the analysis of biomolecules (biopolmer such as protein, sugar, DNA and peptides)  and large organic molecule ( such as polymers, dendrimers, and other macromolecule)

Use of GC-MS-MS

        Now it has very common used in analytical laboratories that study physical. chemical and biological properties of great variety of compounds.

Use of LC-MS

Some other application of MS

•  Detection of pesticide residue from food
• Analysis od aerosol particles 
• Monitoring gases in patients breath during surgery 
• Identification of drug abuse and metabolites of drugs of abuse in blood, urine and saliva.
• Determination of molecular mass of proteins, peptides and oligonucleotides.
• Drug metabolism studies
•  DNA fingerprinting for forensic application
• Quick product identification
• Conformation of elemental composition
• Use as reaction monitor
• Pollutant analysis 
• Trace metal analysis
•  Explosive
• Illegal drug detection
• Alcohol analysis
• Disease diagnosis

Disadvantages of MS

•  Difficult with non-volatile compounds
• Needs pure compounds
• Does not directly give structural information.