Precursor scan information-dependent

Data-dependent acqnisition (DDA) is a mode of operation, where the MS experiment performed in a particular scan is based on the data acqnired in a previons scan. In a simple form, a DDA experiment switches the instrument from full-scan MS acquisition to full-scan product-ion MS-MS when the total-ion intensity or a selected-ion intensity exceeds a preset threshold. This avoids the need to perform two consecutive injections for the identification of unknowns in a mixture first to obtain the m/z values for the intact protonated molecules of the unknowns, and second to acquire the product-ion MS-MS spectra of these unknowns in a time-scheduled procedure, switching between various preselected precursor ions as a function of the chromatographic retention time. The DDA was promoted by Thermo Finnigan upon the introduction of the API-ion trap combinations [44-46]. Similar procedures are available for other commercial ion-trap systems, as well as for triple-quadrupoles, e.g.. Information Dependent Acquisition (IDA) from Applied Biosystems MDS Sciex, Data-directed Analysis (DDA) from Waters, and Smart Select from Bruker. 

The precursor ion scan and neutral loss scan provide the same qualitative information on the structure of an ion, with specific applicability determined by the characteristic of ion fragmentation or, more specifically, depending on what... 

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