Rounded Turn SLIM Design for High-Resolution Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Small Molecules

Anal Chem. 2024 Dec 24;96(51):20179-20188. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c03808. Epub 2024 Dec 11.

Abstract

Various rounded turn designs in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulation (SLIM) were explored via ion trajectory simulations. The optimized design was integrated into a SLIM ion mobility (IM) system coupled with a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer (MS) for further experimental investigation. The SLIM-TOF IM-MS system was assessed for IM resolution and ion transmission efficiency across a wide m/z range using various RF frequencies and buffer gas combinations. High ion transmission efficiency and high resolution ion mobility (HRIM) separation were achieved for Agilent tune mix ions through a ∼12.8 m serpentine separation path in both nitrogen and helium. In helium, ion transmission for low m/z ions was enhanced at higher RF trapping frequency, enabling the detection of ions with m/z below 50 and all 17 amino acids from a standard mixture. Lossless ion transmission was observed for glycine (m/z 76) in both passthrough and HRIM modes. HRIM resolution was benchmarked using L-isoleucine, L-leucine, and various other isobaric and isomeric metabolites with m/z values of 60-89. This work demonstrates a rounded turn SLIM design that enables HRIM measurements for small molecule analytes, with a particular focus on metabolomics, where IM offers a means to enhance the speed, robustness, and specificity of analytical workflows.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / analysis
  • Amino Acids / chemistry
  • Helium / chemistry
  • Ion Mobility Spectrometry* / methods
  • Ions / analysis
  • Ions / chemistry
  • Leucine / analysis
  • Leucine / chemistry
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods

Substances

  • Ions
  • Helium
  • Amino Acids
  • Leucine