A signal processing assembly for a detector includes a signal amplifier, a control unit, and an offset control module. The signal amplifier is configured to receive an input signal from the detector assembly and to provide an output signal. The control unit is configured to compare a first data point from the output signal with a signal range, and to generate an input bias control signal based upon the comparison. The offset control module is coupled with the control unit and configured to receive the input bias control signal. The offset control module includes a power supply operatively coupled with an input of the signal amplifier, and the offset control module is configured to generate and apply an adaptive input offset signal at the input of the signal amplifier based upon the input bias control signal.

A method and device for determining an average frequency of a series of ion detection pulses (P) in a spectrometer can be applied to a measurement interval (MI). The method may comprise determining the duration of an auxiliary interval (AI1, AI2, . . . ), wherein the auxiliary interval overlaps the measurement interval, the auxiliary interval starts at the last pulse (P0) preceding the measurement interval (MI), and the auxiliary interval ends at the last pulse (PN) within the measurement interval. The method may further comprise determining the number of pulses during the auxiliary interval and dividing the number of pulses by the duration of the auxiliary interval so as to produce the average frequency. The method may be applied to a series of ion pulses produced by a voltage-to-frequency converter connected to a Faraday cup.

In a mass spectrometer provided with a measurement section (1) including a collision cell (17) and a mass separator (20-23) for a mass spectrometric analysis of product ions, a CES-method-condition determiner (321) determines collision-energy (CE) values for a collision energy spread (CES) method according to given conditions including the range and number of CE values, in such a manner that n+1 CE values to be used when the number is n+1 (where n is an integer equal to or greater than three) include n collision-energy values used when the number is n and one additional CE value different from the n CE values. An analysis controller (30) sequentially changes the collision energy to the n+1 CE values and controls the measurement section to execute an MS/MS analysis under each CE value. A data processor (33) obtains a cumulative mass spectrum by accumulating mass spectra respectively obtained under different CE values.

Systems and methods to provide rapid and autonomous detection of biological and chemical analyte particles in gas and liquid samples. Systems and methods for capturing and identifying biological and chemical aerosol analyte particles using matrix assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) and using time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) are disclosed. High specificity for capture and detection of aerosolized fentanyl was demonstrated using a portable sample capture and analysis system.

Methods and apparatuses for ion manipulations, including ion trapping, transfer, and mobility separations, using traveling waves (TW) formed by continuous alternating current (AC) are disclosed. An apparatus for ion manipulation includes a surface to which are coupled a first plurality of continuous electrodes and a second plurality of segmented electrodes. The second plurality of segmented electrodes is arranged in longitudinal sets between or adjacent to the first plurality of electrodes. An RF voltage applied to adjacent electrodes of the first plurality of electrodes is phase shifted by approximately 180° to confine ions within the apparatus. An AC voltage waveform applied to adjacent electrodes within a longitudinal set of the second plurality of segmented electrodes is phase shifted on the adjacent electrodes by 1°-359° to move ions longitudinally through the apparatus for separation.

A method of analysis using mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The method comprises: using a first device to generate smoke, aerosol or vapour from a target comprising or consisting of a microbial population; mass analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said smoke, aerosol or vapour, or ions derived therefrom, in order to obtain spectrometric data; and analysing said spectrometric data in order to analyse said microbial population.

Problems to be Solved

The present invention provides an affinity support capable of trapping a substance by cooperative binding that is less likely to cause dissociation even when the substance is a molecule other than an antibody, and a trapping method using the same.

Means to Solve the Problems

A method of trapping a substance comprising the step of contacting an objective to be trapped with an affinity support comprising a support, a spacer bound to the support and an affinity substance bound to the spacer, so as to bind the objective to be trapped to the affinity substance, wherein each one of the objective to be trapped has a plural of affinity sites and the affinity substance binds to at least two of the affinity sites simultaneously.

The invention relates to the detection of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). In a particular aspect, the invention relates to methods for detecting DHA and EPA by mass spectrometry and kits for carrying out such methods.

A system for scanning a gas mixture using a sensor is disclosed. The system includes a matrix multiplication module configured to pre-multiply a B matrix with a diagonal matrix that is created with a vector of nominal concentration of the set of gases to obtain an adjusted B matrix (Ba) and a mass to charge ratio extraction module that is configured to select a set of mass to charge ratios for the set of gases to scan in a time budget based on the adjusted B matrix (Ba). The B matrix is a multiplication of P, T, C and R matrices, wherein P is a convolution matrix representing peak shapes, T is transmission efficiencies at each integral mass to charge ratio, R is relative ionization potentials for each gas and C is a reference spectrum representing idealized responses for each gas at the integral mass to charge ratio.

The invention relates to the quantitative measurement of steroidal compounds by mass spectrometry. In a particular aspect, the invention relates to methods for quantitative measurement of steroidal compounds from multiple samples by mass spectrometry.