An apparatus and a method for analysing a solid specimen material by means of ablating particles of the solid specimen material by laser into a carrier liquid, having: a specimen holder for arranging the solid specimen material covered by the carrier liquid, a laser apparatus for irradiating the solid specimen material to produce a suspension of particles of the solid specimen material and the carrier liquid, an analysis apparatus for analysing the particles, an ablation cell with the specimen holder, having a liquid channel for the carrier liquid and having an entry window made of a material that transmits the laser beam, a supply line for supplying the carrier liquid into the liquid channel of the ablation cell and a discharge line for discharging the suspension of particles of the solid specimen material and the carrier liquid from the liquid channel of the ablation cell into the analysis apparatus.

Systems and methods are described to concentrate and homogenize a remote sample for analysis. A sample concentration and homogenization system embodiment includes, but is not limited to, at least a first valve, at least a first column fluidically coupled to the first valve, a flow meter fluidically coupled with the first column when the first valve is in a first flow path configuration to measure an amount of the liquid sample passed through the first column, and a homogenization valve including a sample homogenizing loop in which the concentrated sample is homogenized.

A GC fitting for an inner tube of a heated transfer line of a gas chromatography interface probe, the fitting comprising a first section comprising a substantially cylindrical projection for fluid connection to a GC source in use, and a second section having a larger radius than the first section in at least one direction, the second section being provided with at least one flat.

A method of evaluating an analysis device that is capable of detecting each of a plurality of compounds included in a sample includes introducing the sample including a first compound into the analysis device for measurement and detecting the first compound and at least one reaction product derived from the first compound, and acquiring information representing whether the analysis device is in a suitable state for an analysis based on an intensity of the detected first compound and an intensity of each of the detected at least one reaction product, and a relative response factor in regard to each of the first compound and the at least one reaction product.

A method and system for formation and withdrawal of a sample from a surface to be analyzed utilizes a collection instrument having a port through which a liquid solution is conducted onto the surface to be analyzed. The port is positioned adjacent the surface to be analyzed, and the liquid solution is conducted onto the surface through the port so that the liquid solution conducted onto the surface interacts with material comprising the surface. An amount of material is thereafter withdrawn from the surface. Pressure control can be utilized to manipulate the solution balance at the surface to thereby control the withdrawal of the amount of material from the surface. Furthermore, such pressure control can be coordinated with the movement of the surface relative to the port of the collection instrument within the X-Y plane.

Method for loading a sample of a target compound into a nanospray emitter tube for analysis by nanospray ionization mass spectrometry, wherein a cartridge having a fluid container, an inlet and an outlet is mounted onto a nanospray emitter tube on a nanospray emitter mount to form a nanospray emitter tube assembly, the assembly is mounted on a micro-centrifuge tube, a volume of the sample to be analyzed is loaded into the fluid container and the micro-centrifuge tube is spun on a centrifuge to transfer the sample into the nanospray emitter tube.

Systems for the generation of discovery ion currents. One of the systems includes a mass spectrometer providing ion current measurement. The system includes a controller coupled to the mass spectrometer. The system also includes a liquid handler coupled to the controller and the mass spectrometer. The controller is configured to identify a base average ion current of each mass to charge interval, the mass to charge interval comprising at least one mass to charge channel. The controller is configured to calculate a relative change between a current ion current measurement for a charge interval to the base average for the charge interval. The controller is configured to compare the relative change to a threshold. The controller is also configured to, in response to determining that the relative change exceeds the threshold, start fraction collection using the liquid handler.

A CMV sampling device includes a thermoelectric cooler, a vacuum pump, and one or more holders for one or more capillary microextractor of volatiles (CMV) tubes. The holder thermally contacts the thermoelectric cooler and the vacuum pump is fluidly connected to the CMV tube. The CMV device is useful for sampling of volatile organic compounds from air. The sampling can be carried out rapidly to achieve a sample within the CMV tube that may be placed into a thermal desorption unit (TDU) coupled to an inlet port for introduction of the volatiles into an analytical instrument, such as, a gas chromatograph (GC), an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS), a liquid chromatograph (LC), and/or a mass spectrometer (MS) for analysis of one or more volatiles.

A solvent trap for integration with a mass spectrometry system includes an enclosure defining an internal space; a wet gas inlet port configured to receive a gaseous flow from an ion source; a liquids outlet port configured to enable liquids to flow under gravity from the internal space; and a dry gas outlet port configured to exhaust gas from the internal space.

Disclosed herein is a system for desorbing and detecting an analyte sorbed on a solid phase microextraction (SPME) device. The system includes a desorption chamber sized to accept the SPME device while defining a void volume of less than about 50 μL; a flow injector in fluid connection with the desorption chamber, the desorption chamber and the flow injector being fluidly connected by at least a flow-insulating fluid connector; a solvent source in fluid connection with the flow injector; and a fluid switch that: in a desorption position, allows the solvent to be sprayed from the flow injector while flow-insulating any desorption solution in the desorption chamber, and in an detecting position, turns off the solvent source while maintaining the fluid connection between the flow injector and the desorption chamber, transferring the desorption solution through the flow-insulating fluid connector to the flow injector as a substantially undiluted plug of liquid.