Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry combined technology (LC-MS) combines the high separation ability of liquid chromatography and the high sensitivity and selectivity of mass spectrometry, and has become an indispensable tool in modern analytical chemistry. In recent years, LC-MS technology has made significant progress in many fields, promoting the development of scientific research and application.
Technological innovation
Advances in ionization technology
Atmospheric pressure ionization (API) technology: Electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) are the most commonly used API technologies at present. ESI is particularly suitable for analyzing polar compounds, while APCI is suitable for neutral or weak polar compounds. In recent years, the development of nano-spray ionization (nano-ESI) technology has enabled LC-MS to analyze ultramicroscopic samples, and its sensitivity can reach the femtomolar level.
Ion source improvements: The development of new ion sources such as atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) and atmospheric pressure laser desorption ionization (APLDI) further expands the application range of LC-MS.
Improvement of mass spectrometer
High resolution mass spectrometers: such as Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS), provide higher resolution and mass accuracy, and can distinguish very close mass-to-charge ratios.
Multi-stage mass spectrometry technology: The development of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and multi-stage mass spectrometry (MSn) technologies enables LC-MS to perform more complex structural analysis and quantitative analysis.
Expanding application fields
1. Biomedical and clinical diagnosis
LC-MS plays an important role in the detection and quantification of biomarkers, and can analyze multiple biomarkers simultaneously, with high sensitivity and high specificity. For example, LC-MS has become the standard method in neonatal genetic metabolic disease screening and drug metabolism studies.
In clinical diagnosis, LC-MS is used to detect trace metabolites and drug residues in biological samples such as blood and urine, improving the accuracy and sensitivity of the diagnosis.
2. Food safety and environmental monitoring
LC-MS is increasingly widely used in food safety testing, and can detect pesticide residues, veterinary drug residues and food additives in food. For example, accurate detection of trace compounds in complex substrates can be achieved by LC-MS.
In environmental monitoring, LC-MS is used to detect pollutants in environmental samples, such as pesticide residues in soil and organic pollutants in water bodies.
3. Metabolomics and Proteomics
LC-MS is one of the main tools in metabolomics and proteomics research, enabling the isolation and identification of complex biological macromolecules. Through LC-MS, researchers can have a comprehensive understanding of metabolic pathways and protein expression in organisms.
The combined use of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS) has made significant progress in technological innovation and application expansion, providing strong support for scientific research and practical applications.
