Chip with LC/MS Performs Small Molecule Analysis

Use of a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) chip has been expanded to its triple quadrupole (QQQ) and quadrupole-time of flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometers.

Smaller than a credit card, the chip integrates the sample enrichment and separation capability of a nanoflow liquid chromatography (LC) system with the single emitter per instrument and intricate connections used for electrospray mass spectrometry. The technology eliminates 50% of the fittings and connections typically required in nanoflow liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) systems, dramatically reducing the possibility of leaks and dead volumes, and significantly improving ease-of-use, sensitivity, productivity, and reliability during analysis.

This HPLC chip technology, developed by Agilent Technologies (Palo Alto, CA, USA), is an innovative form of liquid chromatography separation that replaces conventional LC nanoflow column and microvalves with a simple, compact microfluidics chip. It enables both chip/mass spectrometer systems to perform small molecule analysis and completes the chip's expansion across Agilent's entire LC/MS portfolio.

Smaller than a credit card, the chip integrates the sample enrichment and separation capability of a nanoflow LC system with the single emitter per instrument and intricate connections used for electrospray mass spectrometry. The technology eliminates 50% of the fittings and connections typically required in nanoflow LC/MS systems, dramatically reducing the possibility of leaks and dead volumes, and significantly improving ease-of-use, sensitivity, productivity and reliability during analysis.

Agilent's HPLC Chip technology delivers stable, reproducible nanospray, critical for high-sensitivity quantitative QQQ applications for small molecules. The expansion announced enables researchers to move beyond the HPLC chip's early protein-identification applications to the small molecule arena.

Where sample size is limited, quantitative nanospray on the QQQ in particular will offer special opportunities, providing substantial savings to customers in sample preparation alone, said Agilent's Fred Strohmeier, vice president and general manager, liquid phase separations division. It will have special use for life sciences, environmental and forensic applications, where researchers often deal with low amounts of sample. For these applications, conventional nanospray isn't reliable enough for routine use and is difficult to implement and maintain. With the HPLC chip, in combination with Agilent's LC/MS portfolio, it's finally accessible for these applications--and in a remarkably easy-to-use format.


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