High-resolution mass spectrometer

• Subject Area: Physical Chemistry
• Term: Funded in 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 498397108

The application is for an ultra-high resolution electrospray-ionization mass-spectrometer to specifically strengthen the Mass-Spectrometry-Instrument-Center of the Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy at Leipzig University. It decisively expands the analytical capabilities of the department, as no similar high-resolution instrument is available for the projects described here. The instrument will preferably be used in the context of several collaborative projects and in combination with various in-house developed, tailor-made dedicated ion sources. In particular, this will also provide targeted support for the activities of the Warneke junior research group. The acquisition of the high-resolution mass spectrometer allows, for example, to investigate fragmentation reactions of molecular ions and to distinguish nominally isobaric neutral fragment losses . The knowledge obtained on the investigated fragment ions will be used in subsequent gas-phase spectroscopic experiments as well as for ion deposition. Fragmentation mass spectra of larger organic molecules will be measured by combining them with a water-jet desorption source. The goal is to create a spectral database that will serve as a basis for interpreting the expected experimental spectra from the "Juice" spacecraft, which is projected to use similar mass analyzers (European Space Agency project, Studying Jupiter's moons in the next decade). Short-lived reaction intermediates as well as products of microchip reactions will be studied by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The signal-to-noise ratio in quantitative determination of low-concentration components of matrix-loaded samples will be improved by the high resolution of the proposed instrument, since unambiguous sum formula suggestions can be obtained by separation of 13C- and 15N-containing isotope peaks .

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Hochauflösendes Massenspektrometer
• Instrumentation Group: 1700 Massenspektrometer
• Applicant Institution: Universität Leipzig
• Leader: Professor Dr. Knut R. Asmis