Advances in the Design and Functionality of a Compact Multi-Reflecting Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer

Rationale: High-resolution mass spectrometry is routinely used for the analysis of complex samples in pharmaceutical, environmental, and omics related studies. Such applications demand instrumentation to be capable of combining sub-ppm mass accuracy, high resolving power, rapid full m/z range acquisition, over a wide dynamic range. Methods: Achieving the above requirements places constraints on analyzer design and performance. Multi-reflecting time-of-flight (MRT) based analyzers have previously been reported as a means of significantly extending the effective flight path in compact TOF designs. Here, further instrument and functionality advances in a compact MRT mass spectrometer design are described. Results: The impact of these enhancements was assessed for targeted and non-targeted omics applications, examining the impact of acquisition speed on resolving power, dynamic range including limits of quantitation, and quantitative precision. Conclusion: The results obtained characterize the performance of the enhanced design features of a compact MRT mass spectrometer. Operation at elevated acquisition rates up to 200 Hz was observed without loss in resolving power, isotopic ratio accuracy, or quantitative precision.