Introducing the
Agilent 7000A QQQ-MS for GC
Sunil Kulkarni
Product Specialist
Agilent Technologies
Page 1
Agilent GC/MS Portfolio
Smallest footprint,
single GC column
5975VL with 6850GC
Industry leading GC/MS System
5975C with 7890GC
Page 2
Agilent GC/MS Portfolio
Smallest footprint,
single GC column
5975VL with 6850GC
Introducing
Industry leading GC/MS System
5975C with 7890GC
Page 3
Agilent GC/MS Portfolio
7000A GC/MS/MS
Power of MRM
Page 4
Agilent 7000A GC/MS/MS
7000A Width
36 cm/14 inches
Only 2 inches wider than the 5975C MSD
Page 5
GC/MS Triple Quad (QQQ)
Collision Gas (Ar, N2, He)
Carrier Gas (He, H2 )
Ion Source Detector
Quad 1 Quad 2 Quad 3
•Ionize Mass Analysis Collision Cell Mass Analysis
Elements of a typical triple quadrupole MS system
Page 6
Agilent 7000 GC/MS/MS
Collision Gas (N2 )
Ion Source Detector
Quad 1 Hexapole Quad 2
•Ionize Collision Cell
Q1 Post- Q2 Pre-
filter filter
The hexapole field has excellent transmission efficiency
for precursor and product ions
Page 7
What is MRM MS/MS?
Multiple Reaction Monitoring
EI: many ions from the source
isolate precursor
Q1 SIM ion
Page 8
What is MRM MS/MS?
Multiple Reaction Monitoring
EI: many ions from the source
EI-MS/MS
Product 2
Product 1
isolate precursor Product 3
Q1 SIM ion
CID + Q2 SIM
Page 9
Why MS/MS?
Lower detection limits by reducing noise
EI: many ions from the source
Product ion signal often decreases,
but the percentage decrease in noise
is much larger for real samples; S/N
and detection limits improve
Product 2
Product 1
isolate precursor Product 3
Q1 SIM before CID
chemical noise
CID + Product ion measured
eliminated
Q2 SIM against zero chemical
noise
Page 10
Why MS/MS?
Greater Selectivity Than SIM
EI-SIM
selectivity proportional to
spectral resolution
interference
no selectivity against ions
with same m/z
analyte
unit mass resolution
Page 11
Why MS/MS?
Greater Selectivity Than SIM
EI-MS/MS
EI-SIM Precursor selectivity same as SIM
selectivity proportional to High probability that at least one product
spectral resolution ion will be a unique dissociation product
interference
no selectivity against ions of the precursor BUT not the interference
with same m/z
analyte
Product 2
Product 1 interference
Product 3
unit mass resolution
Precursor
Ion
The precursor ion should NOT be used for ion
ratios or quantitation since the interferences will
be the same as the SIM ion
Page 12
Why a GC/MS/MS System?
Allows for the selective quantitation of target
compounds in high chemical background samples
Better S/N in complex matrices than can be achieved
by single quadrupole scan or SIM approaches.
Newer regulations in some markets specify analytical
power commensurate with GC/MS/MS
Page 13
Why GC/MS/MS?
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
GC/MS Single Quad SIM
100 fg HCB
MS SIM
GC/MS/MS QQQ MRM
EI 100fg HCB in “DIRTY”
Matrix
MS/MS MRM
A chromatographer’s
dream: single peak on
S/N: 116:1 RMS flat baseline
Page 14
Why GC/MS/MS?
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
GC/MS Single Quad SIM
100 fg HCB
MS SIM
GC/MS/MS QQQ MRM
EI 100fg HCB in “DIRTY”
Matrix
MS/MS MRM
A chromatographer’s
dream: single peak on
S/N: 116:1 RMS flat baseline
Page 15
Technology
Agilent took the best technologies from their
industry leading 597X Series GC/MSD:
– Heated monolithic gold plated quartz quadrupole
– Proven reliable high performance source design
– AUTOTUNE
and the 6410A LC/QQQ:
– Linear acceleration enhanced Collision Cell
– Wide Mass-Bandwidth QQQ ion optics
– Mass Hunter software
Page 16
Why Heated Quartz “Gold” Quads?
Unlike LC/MS, many high boiling neutral molecules enter
the source and manifold of a GC/MS or GC/MS/MS
• Higher temperature reduces potential for contamination
– 200C max
– Virtually eliminates the need to clean quads
• Low coefficient for thermal expansion for quartz
– Stable structure during maintenance cycles (hot-cool-hot) for source
or detector
More stable tunes and methods over a longer period of time
in real world sample environments
Page 17
GC/QQQ Analyzer
Two gold plated quartz,
hyperbolic analyzers
(same as 5975)
Inert, high
temp source
(same as 5975)
Triple-Axis
detector (same
as 5975)
Page 18
GC/QQQ Analyzer
Shown with shields for
analyzers and collision cell
New high performance,
hexapole collision cell
with patent technology
Edwards
Split Flow Turbo
Page 19
Analyzer Doors Open
Inert, 350ºC
Source
Triple-Axis
Detector
Page 20
Proven Inert Source Performance
Several thousands sources in current use
Stay-Clean design extends maintenance intervals with
dirty samples
Source tune parameters in the Autotune file
Dual filament design reduces maintenance intervals
Page 21
EI Source Details
Partition between source
and analyzer compartments
Page 22
High Performance Collision Cell Design
Linear acceleration design is optimized for high speed
performance without ion ghosting or cross-talk
MRM speed to 500 MRMs/sec allows determination of
more compounds per ion group
High sensitivity with wide mass bandwidth eliminates
the need to “tune on your compound” for optimum
sensitivity
“Helium Quenching” chemical noise reduction
increases S/N
Page 23
Collision Cell Details
(Cell housing and 2 rods removed for clarity)
Support
Quadrupole cradle Quadrupole
post-filter pre-filter
Page 24
High Performance Triple-Axis Detector
Ultra low neutrals noise
Long life and high linearity
“Gain Normalization” corrects tune file for detector aging to
allow repeatable long term method sensitivity
Same design as used in the 5975C GC/MSD
Page 25
Triple-Axis Detector
Offset
shield for
steering rod secondary Z
particles
hyperbolic quartz
transmission high energy
quadrupole dynode
analyzer
Y
triple channel
ion beam electron
multiplier
X
Page 26
Autotune
Proprietary program tunes the source, mass analyzer, and
detector for (as applicable):
• Ion transmission
• Mass axis calibration
• Mass resolution
• Detector gain vs Voltage
Autotune settings are saved with the method for repeatable
method performance.
Manual Tune override is available
Page 27
Agilent 7000A GC/MS/MS
OFN (octafluoronaphthalene) Sensitivity
100fg OFN
272:241 Transition
186:1 RMS S/N
Page 28
One of the many
innovations that led to
this level of GC/MS/MS
sensitivity
Page 29
Collision Cell Gas Flows
1 ml/min N2 Collision Gas
Q1 Collision Cell Ions
He* +
Ions Out
In
He* + N2 → N2+. + He + e-
N2+. + A → A+. + N2
Page 30
Collision Cell Gas Flows
1 ml/min N2 Collision Gas
Q1 Collision Cell Ions
He* +
Ions Out
In
He Buffer Gas
He* + He → 2 He + heat
He* + N2 → N2+. + He + e-
Page 31
Effect of “Helium Quench”
tested with
hexachlorobenzene
S/N 341:1 Helium Quench Gas OFF
Page 32
Effect of “Helium Quench”
S/N 341:1 Helium Quench Gas OFF
Almost 4 X
Increase in S/N
S/N 1294:1 Helium Quench Gas ON
Page 33
Effect of “Helium Quench”
tested with
hexachlorobenzene
S/N 341:1 Helium Quench Gas OFF
Noise Comparison
S/N 1294:1 Helium Quench Gas ON
The increase in
S/N was due to
reduction of noise.
Page 34
MassHunter MS Workstation Software
Modern software interpretation of the proven industry standard
GC/MS Chemstation platform
Single software platform for all Agilent MS Systems
• LC/SQ , LC/QQQ, LC/TOF, LC/QTOF
• GC/SQ, GC/QQQ
• ICP/MS
Page 35
GC/MS/MS Software Modules
Acquisition
Analysis
Excel
Reporting
Page 36
MS/MS Acquisition Method Editor Dialog
Single window acquisition setup
Page 37
Agilent G7000A GC/QQQ
Outstanding sensitivity 100fg of OFN on column at 100:1 S/N RMS in MS/MS
mode using AUTOTUNE parameters verified at customer installation.
1050 amu Mass Range
500 MRM/sec Speed
Reliable heated monolithic gold plated hyperbolic quadrupoles
Differentially pumped vacuum system
New Helium seeded collision cell technology
Agilent 7890 GC with Capillary Flow technology.
MassHunter Software
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