LCMS Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer Expands UFMS Family

Shimadzu (Germany) is about to release the LCMS-8060 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. In the year of Shimadzu’s 140th anni­versary, the system makes its debut at the ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics, being held in St Louis, Missouri/USA from May 31 to June 4.

The LCMS-8060 is designed to push the limits of LC/MS/MS quantitation for applications requiring the highest sensitivity and robustness while delivering a meaningful solution for routine LC/MS/MS analyses. It detects substances at ultra-trace level as they occur in complex matrices, for example, or in smallest sample concentrations which have to be diluted in order to avoid matrix effects.

The LCMS-8060 is the newest member of Shimadzu’s UFMS (Ultra-Fast Mass Spectrometry) family and part of the Shimadzu mass spectrometry platform of MS/MS systems with ultra-fast technologies. It underlines Shimadzu’s role as one of the world’s fastest-growing mass spectrometry companies. The system combines a heated ESI source with all UF technologies including UFsweeper III, a collision cell filled with argon gas. Through its high speed technology, UFsweeper III achieves dwell times of 0.8 ms per MRM. With new UF Qarray ion guide technology increasing ion production and signal intensity, the LCMS-8060 introduces a new level of sensitivity and makes a real difference to working better and faster.

The LCMS-8060 is a ground breaking technology in mass spectrometry and creates new opportunities for scientists to deliver solutions that make a real difference. The system will have an important impact on routine high performance LC/MS/MS analysis. Shimadzu expects the LCMS-8060 to strengthen the company’s considerable and rapid growth in LC/MS/MS. Together with the platform of industry leading mass spectrometry MS/MS systems and liquid chromatography products, Shimadzu hopes to transform LC/MS/MS and bring about a game-changing technology.

With a data acquisition scan speed of 30,000 u/sec and a polarity switching time of 5 msec the LCMS-8060 brings new levels of data quality and confidence at the highest sensitivity.

Sensitivity: The newly developed UF Qarray boosts ion sensitivity while suppress­ing noise. By improving the ion sampling device, ion guide and vacuum efficiency, Shimadzu has achieved an unprecedented sensitivity in LCMS.

Speed: Shimadzu’s proprietary technologies allow acquisition of up to 555 MRM channels per second, ultra-fast polarity switching and ultra-fast scanning, all with highest data quality.

Outstanding durability: Robustness of the LCMS-8060 and modified ion optics was assessed by injecting 2,400 samples of femtogram levels of alprazolam spiked into protein-precipitated human plasma extracts over a six day period (over 400 samples were injected each day). RSD of peak area response was 5 % over this test period, and use of a deuterated internal standard (alprazolam-d5) led to RSD of 3.5 %. As part of the robustness test the vacuum system was vented to model a transient power failure, with however no effect on signal response or baseline noise level.

Shimadzu’s new LCMS-8060 is designed to push the limits of LC/MS/MS quantitation for applications requiring highest sensitivity and robustness to deliver a meaningful solu­tion for routine LC/MS/MS analyses. It detects substances at ultra-trace level or in small­est sample concentrations which have to be diluted in order to avoid matrix effects.

The LCMS-8060 combines a heated ESI source with all UF technologies including UFsweeper III, a collision cell filled with argon gas. With the new UF Qarray ion guide technology increasing ion production and signal intensity, the LCMS-8060 introduces a new level of sensitivity and makes a real difference to working better and faster.