Quadrupole Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer (QTOF MS)

Q-TOF mass spectrometers combine TOF and quadrupole instruments, a pairing that results in high mass accuracy for precursor and product ions, strong quantitation capability, and fragmentation experiment applicability. The Q-TOF MS uses a quadrupole (four parallel rods arranged in a square formation), a collision cell, and a time of flight unit to produce spectra. Lighter ions accelerate faster down the flight tube to the detector, thus determining the ions’ mass-to-charge ratios. Q-TOF MS systems have MS-MS capabilities and can be coupled to GC or LC systems. Ion sources include MALDI, ESI, APCI, and APPI. Speed and sensitivity are hallmarks of the quadrupole TOF MS, with detection reaching low-femtogram levels. Their speed and suitability for quantitative analysis make these hybrid instruments a popular choice for chemists building combinatorial libraries. They are also widely used in drug discovery, clinical research, forensic toxicology, food safety, and environmental screening.

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