Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (MS) / Quadrupole Mass Analyzer

Quadrupole mass spectrometers are perhaps the simplest of mass spec instruments. Functioning effectively like a radio, the quadrupole MS – so-named because of its four charged rods, which run parallel to the flight paths of the ions it measures – filter ions by mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) by altering the voltages in the rods. Quadrupole mass spectrometers are available in a variety of formats, including a single quadrupole mass spectrometer, a triple quadrupole MS (three quadrupoles arranged in tandem), and a Q-TOF (a triple quad variant in which the third quadrupole is replaced with a time-of-flight mass analyzer).

Quadrupole mass analyzers are often used for targeted, quantitative applications and can be used either to measure one or a few given ions in a mixture, or to scan across a range of m/z values. Depending on the configuration, they can facilitate both MS and MS/MS applications. For instance, in a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer, you can select ions for analysis in the first quadrupole, fragment them by collision with a gas in the second quadrupole, and analyze the resulting fragmentation ions in the third quadrupole.

Find, compare, and request a quote for quadrupole mass spectrometers across leading suppliers at Labcompare; including access to product citations, related published figures, and first-hand reviews from our scientific community.

CompanyShimadzuShimadzuShimadzuShimadzu
ItemGCMS-QP2020 NX Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS)LCMS-2050 Mass SpectrometerLCMS-8050RX Triple Quadrupole LC/MS/MS Mass SpectrometerLCMS-8065XE Triple Quadrupole LC/MS/MS Mass Spectrometer
Citations
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Catalog NumberGCMS-QP2020 NXLCMS-2050LCMS-8050RXLCMS-8065XE
Price
Ionization Method(s)EI, CI, NCIESI, APCI, Dual IonizationESI, APCI, Dual Ionization, Micro-ESIESI, APCI (optional)
Mass AnalyzerMetal quadrupole with pre-rodSingle QuadrupoleQ1 & Q3 are molybdenum hyperbolic mass filters with pre-rods; Q1 includes post-rodsQ1 & Q3 are molybdenum hyperbolic mass filters with pre-rods; Q1 includes post-rods
Scanning Speed20,000 u/sec15,000 u/sec30,000 u/secMax. 30,000 u/sec (in all scan modes)
Mass Range1.5 to 1090 m/zm/z 2 – 20002 to 2000 m/zm/z 2 to 2,00
DescriptionAdopting a proprietary multi-function ion source and a new large-capacity turbomolecular pump with heightened exhaust efficiency for all carrier gases including nitrogen, the rugged, high-sensitivity GCMS-QP2020 NX elevates GCMS performance to a new level. New Quick-CI and Smart SIM functionality ... Read MoreThe LCMS-2050 single quadrupole mass spectrometer combines the user-friendliness of an LC detector with the excellent performance of MS to provide a complete package of easy-to-use high-level performance and compactness. To make it accessible to all users, the system is enhanced with technology and ... Read MoreIncorporating Shimadzu’s proprietary ultrafast technologies (UF Technologies), the triple quadrupole LCMS-8050RX offers outstanding measurement speeds and quantitative performance.
Specific and highly sensitive Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) multi-component analysis is improved with a heated
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The LCMS-8065XE introduces innovative technologies that deliver exceptional performance with evolved, efficient and exact capabilities.
The instrument incorporates Shimadzu’s complete Ultra Fast Mass Spectrometry (UFMS) technology suite:
  • World-class 5 msec positive/negative ion switching with
... Read More
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