Annual Scientific Report 2015

THE UNIT IN 2015

The High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Unit provides ICIQ researchers with access to state-of the-art mass spectrometry instruments capable of characterizing the wide range of compounds which are typically of interest in the institute. The instrumentation includes a variety of ionization options, sample introduction and chromatographic techniques required for mass spectrometry analysis of organic and organometallic compounds.

The MS Unit provides comprehensive training for ICIQ researchers to ensure optimal use of the facility and appropriate data interpretation, including periodic talks on practical aspects of MS.

In 2015, there were 2987 samples submitted, most of them to be analysed by high resolution mass spectrometry.

Every submitted sample needed an average of 1,8 analysis. This means that a total of 5205 analysis were performed.

Most of the samples (86%) were analyzed using electrospray as the ionization method while MALDI was the second most used ionization method in the Unit. 5% of the samples were analyzed by APCI and barely 0.7 % of the submitted samples needed EI as the ionization method.

As a part of the most challenging work at the MS Unit, conditions for the analysis of new synthetic polymers by MALDI were developed successfully.

Finally, the hard work studying the dehydrogenation and cyclization of fullerene precursors by MALDI and LDI carried out in the Mass Spectrometry Unit deserves a special mention. More than 300 analyses were performed to find conditions in which the formation of fullerene could be observed. Consequently, the Unit staff has acquired remarkable expertise in this field.