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SCIEX is a manufacturer of mass spectrometry instrumentation used in biomedical and environmental applications. Originally started by scientists from the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, it is now part of Danaher Corporation with the SCIExe R&D division still located in Toronto, Canada.
SCIEX was founded in 1974 [1] by Canadian scientists Barry French, [2] Neil Reid, Adele Buckley, and businessman William Breukelman, to develop a mass spectrometer system based on atmospheric pressure ionisation and direct air sampling.
In 1981, SCIEX was acquired by MDS Inc., a Canadian medical services and equipment company. [3] A joint venture was formed with PerkinElmer for sales and marketing of the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) product line. In 1986, the joint venture was extended to include the liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS) business, managed through the Applied Biosystems division of Perkin Elmer.
In 2008, Applied Biosystems merged with Invitrogen to form Life Technologies. [4] In 2009, Danaher Corporation paid approximately $1.1 billion [5] to buy SCIEX from MDS and the Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX joint venture business from Life Technologies. The business unit now operates as SCIEX within the Life Sciences Division of Danaher and is one of the major players in the global mass spectrometry market estimated (in 2018) at $5.5 billion worldwide. [6]
The first SCIEX product, introduced in 1979, was the TAGA (Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer) quadrupole mass spectrometer system which used atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization (APCI) for direct air analysis. [7] Use of a cryopumped vacuum system run by a liquid helium compressor allowed the instrument to be mounted in a large van for mobile operation, and operated while in motion to monitor concentrations of air pollutants. In 1981 the TAGA 6000, the first commercial triple quadrupole mass spectrometer [7] was introduced, also in both lab-based and mobile configurations. Systems were acquired by, among others, government environmental agencies in Ontario [8] and New York State, and the USEPA, and have been used in various applications such as tracking fugitive emission plumes from industrial sites, [9] analysis of gases from contaminated homes in the Love Canal area and for air monitoring in the Gulf area after the BP spill in 2010. [10] In 1979, the TAGA 3000 was used for real-time monitoring of toxic gas plumes of chlorine, styrene and other gases released from the Mississauga train derailment and fire [11] providing timely information for emergency personnel. [12]
In 1983, SCIEX introduced the first commercial ICPMS system for inorganic analysis. [13] Shortly after introduction, a joint venture was formed with Perkin Elmer to market and sell this product. The ICPMS joint venture business was fully acquired by PerkinElmer in 2010. [14]
In 1984, a joint venture was formed between MDS SCIEX and British Aerospace to develop a tandem mass spectrometer system for contraband detection. Based on the TAGA platform, the AROMIC was a triple quadrupole instrument that was part of the CONDOR, an integrated contraband detection system for screening shipping containers for the presence of drugs and explosives. [15] [16] The CONDOR system consisted of a large X-Ray facility for imaging whole shipping containers, combined with the AROMIC mass spectrometer system to sample container air space for the presence of vapours and particulates indicative of the presence of drugs, alcohol or explosives. Designed for rapid screening of containers at border crossings, systems were sold and installed in two countries in the Middle and Far East. [17]
 | This section may be too technical for most readers to understand.(November 2023) |
In collaboration with Professor Jack Henion at Cornell University and Dr. Peter Dawson at the National Research Council of Canada, the first application of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) was demonstrated on the TAGA 6000 in 1982. [18] This proof of concept led to the development of the heated nebulizer LC interface for APCI, [19] using pneumatic nebulization to allow the full LC flow to enter the ion source. In 1983, LC-MS-MS using ion evaporation, a spray method similar to electrospray but compatible with higher flow rates of up to 1 mL/min, was demonstrated on the TAGA 6000 but was not commercialized. [20]
The API III LC-MS-MS system introduced in 1989 provided both ion spray (developed by Bruins, Covey and Henion at Cornell University [21] ) and heated nebulizer LC inlets on a triple quadrupole platform based on the TAGA 6000 architecture. It was the second commercial LC-MS in the market, [22] and the first that provided electrospray ionization. [23] The atmospheric pressure spray methods of electrospray, ion spray and APCI which helped to drive the burgeoning LC-MS market are now available on a wide variety of MS platforms and from a variety of vendors. [23]
In 1998, the cryopump API III platform began to be replaced with turbo-molecular-pumped single and triple quadrupole mass spectrometer products that evolved from the API 2000 (benchtop) and API 3000 to the current API 7500 series.
In the 1990s, collaboration with physicist Ken Standing's group at the University of Manitoba led to the introduction of the QSTAR quadrupole/time-of-flight (QTOF) instrument in 1999, [24] which evolved into the present day line of ZENO TOF 7600 series and benchtop X500-Series products.
In 2010, SCIEX acquired the liquid chromatography business of Eksigent Corporation and now offers a range of liquid chromatographs that couple to their mass spectrometers. The SelectION differential ion mobility spectrometer was introduced as an alternative method of separation in front of the mass spectrometer.
The QTrap, introduced by SCIEX in 1995, is a linear ion trap consisting of a quadrupole mass filter that can act as either a mass filter or a trap/scan mass spectrometer. [25]
In 2002, MDS (at that time owner of SCIEX) and joint venture partner Applied Biosystems, won a $52.6 million judgement against Micromass UK for infringement of U.S. Patent No. 4,963,736 that describes a method of ion focusing using RF fields and gas collisions. [26]
Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a type of mass spectrometry that uses an inductively coupled plasma to ionize the sample. It atomizes the sample and creates atomic and small polyatomic ions, which are then detected. It is known and used for its ability to detect metals and several non-metals in liquid samples at very low concentrations. It can detect different isotopes of the same element, which makes it a versatile tool in isotopic labeling.
Mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical technique that is used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. The results are presented as a mass spectrum, a plot of intensity as a function of the mass-to-charge ratio. Mass spectrometry is used in many different fields and is applied to pure samples as well as complex mixtures.
An ion source is a device that creates atomic and molecular ions. Ion sources are used to form ions for mass spectrometers, optical emission spectrometers, particle accelerators, ion implanters and ion engines.
Electrospray ionization (ESI) is a technique used in mass spectrometry to produce ions using an electrospray in which a high voltage is applied to a liquid to create an aerosol. It is especially useful in producing ions from macromolecules because it overcomes the propensity of these molecules to fragment when ionized. ESI is different from other ionization processes since it may produce multiple-charged ions, effectively extending the mass range of the analyser to accommodate the kDa-MDa orders of magnitude observed in proteins and their associated polypeptide fragments.
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) is an analytical method that combines the features of gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify different substances within a test sample. Applications of GC–MS include drug detection, fire investigation, environmental analysis, explosives investigation, food and flavor analysis, and identification of unknown samples, including that of material samples obtained from planet Mars during probe missions as early as the 1970s. GC–MS can also be used in airport security to detect substances in luggage or on human beings. Additionally, it can identify trace elements in materials that were previously thought to have disintegrated beyond identification. Like liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, it allows analysis and detection even of tiny amounts of a substance.
![<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chemical ionization</span> Ionization technique used in mass [[spectroscopy]]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Chemical_Ionization.png/320px-Chemical_Ionization.png)
Chemical ionization (CI) is a soft ionization technique used in mass spectrometry. This was first introduced by Burnaby Munson and Frank H. Field in 1966. This technique is a branch of gaseous ion-molecule chemistry. Reagent gas molecules are ionized by electron ionization to form reagent ions, which subsequently react with analyte molecules in the gas phase to create analyte ions for analysis by mass spectrometry. Negative chemical ionization (NCI), charge-exchange chemical ionization, atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) are some of the common variants of the technique. CI mass spectrometry finds general application in the identification, structure elucidation and quantitation of organic compounds as well as some utility in biochemical analysis. Samples to be analyzed must be in vapour form, or else, must be vapourized before introduction into the source.
Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) is an analytical chemistry technique that combines the physical separation capabilities of liquid chromatography with the mass analysis capabilities of mass spectrometry (MS). Coupled chromatography – MS systems are popular in chemical analysis because the individual capabilities of each technique are enhanced synergistically. While liquid chromatography separates mixtures with multiple components, mass spectrometry provides spectral information that may help to identify each separated component. MS is not only sensitive, but provides selective detection, relieving the need for complete chromatographic separation. LC–MS is also appropriate for metabolomics because of its good coverage of a wide range of chemicals. This tandem technique can be used to analyze biochemical, organic, and inorganic compounds commonly found in complex samples of environmental and biological origin. Therefore, LC–MS may be applied in a wide range of sectors including biotechnology, environment monitoring, food processing, and pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and cosmetic industries. Since the early 2000s, LC–MS has also begun to be used in clinical applications.
Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) is an ionization method used in mass spectrometry which utilizes gas-phase ion-molecule reactions at atmospheric pressure (105 Pa), commonly coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). APCI is a soft ionization method similar to chemical ionization where primary ions are produced on a solvent spray. The main usage of APCI is for polar and relatively less polar thermally stable compounds with molecular weight less than 1500 Da. The application of APCI with HPLC has gained a large popularity in trace analysis detection such as steroids, pesticides and also in pharmacology for drug metabolites.
Thermospray is a soft ionization source by which a solvent flow of liquid sample passes through a very thin heated column to become a spray of fine liquid droplets. As a form of atmospheric pressure ionization in mass spectrometry these droplets are then ionized via a low-current discharge electrode to create a solvent ion plasma. A repeller then directs these charged particles through the skimmer and acceleration region to introduce the aerosolized sample to a mass spectrometer. It is particularly useful in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).
Sample preparation for mass spectrometry is used for the optimization of a sample for analysis in a mass spectrometer (MS). Each ionization method has certain factors that must be considered for that method to be successful, such as volume, concentration, sample phase, and composition of the analyte solution. Quite possibly the most important consideration in sample preparation is knowing what phase the sample must be in for analysis to be successful. In some cases the analyte itself must be purified before entering the ion source. In other situations, the matrix, or everything in the solution surrounding the analyte, is the most important factor to consider and adjust. Often, sample preparation itself for mass spectrometry can be avoided by coupling mass spectrometry to a chromatography method, or some other form of separation before entering the mass spectrometer. In some cases, the analyte itself must be adjusted so that analysis is possible, such as in protein mass spectrometry, where usually the protein of interest is cleaved into peptides before analysis, either by in-gel digestion or by proteolysis in solution.
Laser spray ionization refers to one of several methods for creating ions using a laser interacting with a spray of neutral particles or ablating material to create a plume of charged particles. The ions thus formed can be separated by m/z with mass spectrometry. Laser spray is one of several ion sources that can be coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for the detection of larger molecules.
Two-dimensional chromatography is a type of chromatographic technique in which the injected sample is separated by passing through two different separation stages. Two different chromatographic columns are connected in sequence, and the effluent from the first system is transferred onto the second column. Typically the second column has a different separation mechanism, so that bands that are poorly resolved from the first column may be completely separated in the second column. Alternately, the two columns might run at different temperatures. During the second stage of separation the rate at which the separation occurs must be faster than the first stage, since there is still only a single detector. The plane surface is amenable to sequential development in two directions using two different solvents.
A triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (TQMS), is a tandem mass spectrometer consisting of two quadrupole mass analyzers in series, with a (non-mass-resolving) radio frequency (RF)–only quadrupole between them to act as a cell for collision-induced dissociation. This configuration is often abbreviated QqQ, here Q1q2Q3.
Pittcon Editors’ Awards honoured the best new products on show at the Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, or Pittcon, for 20 years from 1996 having been established by Dr Gordon Wilkinson, managing editor of Analytical Instrument Industry Report. On 8 March 2015, the event returned to the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans and this was the last occasion when the awards were presented.
A direct electron ionization liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry interface is a technique for coupling liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based on the direct introduction of the liquid effluent into an electron ionization (EI) source. Library searchable mass spectra are generated. Gas-phase EI has many applications for the detection of HPLC amenable compounds showing minimal adverse matrix effects. The direct-EI LC-MS interface provides access to well-characterized electron ionization data for a variety of LC applications and readily interpretable spectra from electronic libraries for environmental, food safety, pharmaceutical, biomedical, and other applications.
Instrumental analysis is a field of analytical chemistry that investigates analytes using scientific instruments.
Atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) is a soft ionization method used in mass spectrometry (MS) usually coupled to liquid chromatography (LC). Molecules are ionized using a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light source operating at atmospheric pressure, either by direct absorption followed by electron ejection or through ionization of a dopant molecule that leads to chemical ionization of target molecules. The sample is usually a solvent spray that is vaporized by nebulization and heat. The benefit of APPI is that it ionizes molecules across a broad range of polarity and is particularly useful for ionization of low polarity molecules for which other popular ionization methods such as electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) are less suitable. It is also less prone to ion suppression and matrix effects compared to ESI and APCI and typically has a wide linear dynamic range. The application of APPI with LC/MS is commonly used for analysis of petroleum compounds, pesticides, steroids, and drug metabolites lacking polar functional groups and is being extensively deployed for ambient ionization particularly for explosives detection in security applications.
A miniature mass spectrometer (MMS) is a type of mass spectrometer (MS) which has small size and weight and can be understood as a portable or handheld device. Current lab-scale mass spectrometers however, usually weigh hundreds of pounds and can cost on the range from thousands to millions of dollars. One purpose of producing MMS is for in situ analysis. This in situ analysis can lead to much simpler mass spectrometer operation such that non-technical personnel like physicians at the bedside, firefighters in a burning factory, food safety inspectors in a warehouse, or airport security at airport checkpoints, etc. can analyze samples themselves saving the time, effort, and cost of having the sample run by a trained MS technician offsite. Although, reducing the size of MS can lead to a poorer performance of the instrument versus current analytical laboratory standards, MMS is designed to maintain sufficient resolutions, detection limits, accuracy, and especially the capability of automatic operation. These features are necessary for the specific in-situ applications of MMS mentioned above.
Laser diode thermal desorption (LDTD) is an ionization technique that is coupled to mass spectrometry to analyze samples with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI). It uses a laser to thermally desorb analytes that are deposited on a stainless steel sheet sample holder, called LazWell. The coupling of LDTD and APCI is considered to be a soft-ionization technique. With LDTD-APCI, it is possible to analyze samples in forensics, pharmaceuticals, environment, food and clinical studies. LDTD is suitable for small molecules between 0 and 1200 Da and some peptides such as cyclosporine.
