Interface particle beam

A particle-beam interface is a useful device that can provide library-searchable El spectra of LC-separated solutes [6,32-36]. This device uses a jet separator to free the solute molecules from volatile solvents and produces a high-velocity particle beam of gas-phase solute particles. The original device was termed MAGIC (monodisperse aerosol generating interface for chromatography) by its inventors [36]. 

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The nebulization and evaporation processes used for the particle-beam interface have closely similar parallels with atmospheric-pressure ionization (API), thermospray (TS), plasmaspray (PS), and electrospray (ES) combined inlet/ionization systems (see Chapters 8, 9, and 11). In all of these systems, a stream of liquid, usually but not necessarily from an HPLC column, is first nebulized... 

The particle-beam interface (LINC) works by separating unwanted solvent molecules from wanted solute molecules in a liquid stream that has been broken down into droplets. Differential evaporation of solvent leaves a beam of solute molecules that is directed into an ion source. 

The particle-beam interface is used to remove solvent from a liquid stream without, at the same time, removing the solute (or substrate). 

A stream of a liquid solution can be broken up into a spray of fine drops from which, under the action of aligned nozzles (skimmers) and vacuum regions, the solvent is removed to leave a beam of solute molecules, ready for ionization. The collimation of the initial spray into a linearly directed assembly of droplets, which become clusters and then single molecules, gives rise to the term particle beam interface. 

El may be used with the moving-belt and particle-beam interfaces. Cl with the moving-belt, particle-beam and direct-liquid-introduction interfaces, and FAB with the continuous-flow FAB interface. A brief description of these ionization methods will be provided here but for further details the book by Ashcroft [8] is recommended. 

Even so, much effort was put into the development of such a system and this resulted in the introduction of the particle-beam interface, also known as the... 

A general schematic of a particle-beam interface is shown in Figure 4.5. The procedure used with this interface consists of four stages, as follows ... 

The range of compounds from which electron ionization spectra may be obtained using the particle-beam interface is, like the moving-belt interface, extended when compared to using more conventional methods of introduction, e.g. the solids probe, or via a GC. It is therefore not unusual for specffa obtained using this type of interface not to be found in commercial libraries of mass spectra. 

Thermally labile compounds may also be studied - for example, the El specffa from the condensation products from the reaction between dimedone and substituted phenylbenzopyrans obtained via a particle-beam interface show less thermal degradation than do the mass spectra obtained using a direct-insertion probe [10]. 

The molecular weight limit of the particle-beam interface is around 1000 Da. 

The particle-beam interface gives optimiun performance at flow rates of between 0.1 and 0.5 mlmin . These rates are directly compatible with 2 mm... 

Since the carrier effect is not general for all analytes and all additives, quantitative studies using the particle-beam interface should only be carried out after a very careful choice of experimental conditions and standard(s) to be used, with isotopic-dilution methodology being advocated for the most accurate results. 

The particle-beam interface provides El spectra from HPLC eluates and this is of great advantage over other interfaces which provide only molecular weight information. Why then, is it of advantage to be able to generate Cl spectra from the particle-beam interface ... 

The particle-beam interface has been developed primarily to provide El spectra from HPLC eluates but may be combined with other ionization techniques such as CL If quantitative studies are being undertaken, a detailed study of experimental conditions should be undertaken. Isotope-dilution methodology is advocated for the most accurate results. 

A number of thermally labile and relatively involatile compounds which do not yield El spectra when using more conventional inlet methods do so when introduced via the particle-beam interface. 

The sensitivity of the particle-beam interface is dependent not only on the specific analyte but also on the experimental conditions employed. Detection limits are invariably higher than are desirable. 

Neither extremely volatile or extremely involatile compounds are ideal for investigation using the particle-beam interface. 

The performance of the particle-beam interface deteriorates as the percentage of water in the HPLC mobile phase increases. 

Several other interface designs were introduced over this period, including continuous flow fast atom bombardment (CFFAB)" and the particle beam interface (PBI)," but it was not until the introduction of the API source that LC/MS applications really came to the forefront for quantitative analysis. Early work by Muck and Henion proved the utility of an atmospheric pressure interface using a tandem quadrupole mass spectrometer. 

The use of the particle-beam interface for introduction of samples into a mass spectrometer (PB-MS), without chromatographic separation, was shown by Bonilla [55] to be a useful method for analysis of semi-volatile and nonvolatile additives in PC and PC/PBT blends. The method uses the full power of mass spectrometry to identify multiple additives in a single matrix. The usefulness, speed and simplicity of this approach were illustrated for AOs, UVAs, FRs, slip agents and other additives. 

Cl and El are both limited to materials that can be transferred to the ion source of a mass spectrometer without significant degradation prior to ionisation. This is accomplished either directly in the high vacuum of the mass spectrometer, or with heating of the material in the high vacuum. Sample introduction into the Cl source thus may take place by a direct insertion probe (including those of the desorption chemical ionisation type) for solid samples a GC interface for reasonably volatile samples in solution a reference inlet for calibration materials or a particle-beam interface for more polar organic molecules. This is not unlike the options for El operation. 

The particle-beam, interface has been used for direct introduction of extracts into the mass spectrometer without chromatographic separation [55]. In fact, chromatographic separation is not always essential, especially if structural information is available about the analytes of interest. The main features of this particular approach are ... 

Various transport type interfaces, such as SFC-MB-MS and SFC-PB-MS, have been developed. The particle-beam interface eliminates most of the mobile phase using a two-stage momentum separator with the moving-belt interface, the column effluent is deposited on a belt, which is heated to evaporate the mobile phase. These interfaces allow the chromatograph and the mass spectrometer to operate independently. By depositing the analyte on a belt, the flow-rate and composition of the mobile phase can be altered without regard to a deterioration in the system s performance within practical limits. Both El and Cl spectra can be obtained. Moving-belt SFE-SFC-MS" has been described. 

Figure 7.28 Typical particle-beam interface. After Ashcroft [524]. From A.E. Ashcroft, Ionization Methods of Organic Mass Spectrometry, The Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge (1997). Reproduced by permission of The Royal Society of Chemistry...

LC-PB-MS is especially suited to NPLC systems. RPLC-PB-MS is limited to low-MW (<500 Da) additives. For higher masses, LC-API-MS (combined with tandem MS and the development of a specific mass library) is necessary. Coupling of LC via the particle-beam interface to QMS, QITMS and magnetic-sector instruments has been reported. In spite of the compatibility of PB-MS with conventional-size LC, microbore column (i.d. 1-2 mm) LC-PB-MS has also been developed. A well-optimised PB interface can provide a detection limit in the ng range for a full scan mode, and may be improved to pg for SIM analyses. 

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