LCMSMSanalüüs

LCMSMSanalüüs, also known as Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry analysis, is a powerful analytical technique used for the identification and quantification of compounds in complex mixtures. It combines the separation capabilities of liquid chromatography with the high specificity and sensitivity of tandem mass spectrometry.

In the first stage, liquid chromatography separates the components of a sample based on their physical and chemical properties as they pass through a stationary phase. This process resolves the mixture into individual analytes. The separated analytes then enter the mass spectrometer.

The mass spectrometer consists of two stages, hence "tandem" mass spectrometry. In the first mass analyzer, molecules are ionized and separated based on their mass-to-charge ratio. Selected ions of interest are then fragmented in a collision cell. The resulting fragments are analyzed by a second mass analyzer, which measures their mass-to-charge ratios. This fragmentation pattern acts as a unique fingerprint for the specific compound.

The combination of chromatographic separation and the detailed information from tandem mass spectrometry allows for highly selective and sensitive detection and quantification of target analytes, even at very low concentrations, within complex matrices. LC-MS/MS is widely applied in various fields, including pharmaceutical analysis, environmental monitoring, food safety testing, and clinical diagnostics for identifying and measuring drugs, metabolites, pesticides, and biomarkers.