Kollisjonsceller

Kollisjonsceller, also known as collision cells or reaction cells, are components found in mass spectrometers, particularly in tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) experiments. Their primary function is to facilitate the fragmentation of selected ions. When ions of a specific mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) are isolated in a mass spectrometer, they are then directed into the collision cell. Inside this cell, these precursor ions collide with an inert gas, typically helium or nitrogen, at a controlled pressure. These collisions are energetic enough to induce fragmentation of the precursor ions into smaller product ions. This process is known as collision-induced dissociation (CID). The resulting product ions, with their different m/z ratios, are then passed to a second mass analyzer for detection and analysis. This allows for the identification and quantification of specific molecules based on their fragmentation patterns. Kollisjonsceller are crucial for obtaining structural information about ions and are widely used in fields such as proteomics, metabolomics, and environmental analysis. The efficiency of fragmentation and the type of product ions generated can be influenced by factors such as the collision energy, gas pressure, and the nature of the precursor ion.