Equipment
Platform Single Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (LC/MS)
Excellent capability for rapid mass determination of unknown samples in solution; sensitive detector for HPLC quantification of known compounds. Uses include:
- Determination of mass weight of compounds
- Quantification of drugs and drug metabolites for pharmacokinetic analysis
HPLC Systems (16 Automated Systems)
High-throughput automated liquid chromatographic systems capable of detection of a variety of xenobiotics after extraction and chromatographic separation using visible light, UV, fluorescence, radiochemical, refractive index and electrochemical detection.
Micro LC/MS/MS System
Tandem mass spectrometer with detection capabilities similar to the triple quadrupole instruments detailed below. While somewhat less sensitive than the MicroMass Ultima quadrupoles, its smaller size uses considerably less bench space. Uses include:
- Quantification of drugs and drug metabolites in complex biomatrices at femtomolar to picomolar concentrations
- Enhancement of detection of compounds for pharmacokinetic analyses
Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (LC/MS/MS)
Most sensitive detector for HPLC quantification currently available, i.e., excellent ability to quantify compounds in solution at very, very low concentrations. Uses include:
- Quantification of drugs and drug metabolites in complex biomatrices at attomolar to femtomolar concentrations
- Enhancement of detection of compounds for pharmacokinetic analyses
- Metabolite detection and quantification
Automated Sample Processing Systems
Two Packard processing platforms used for tissue digestion and sample extraction. These flexible platforms can be used for both solid phase and liquid extraction of drugs from complex biomatrices.
Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS)
Determination of mass of thermally stable or gas phase compounds. Ability to perform unlimited fragmentation of compounds and determine the mass of those fragments (i.e., can determine the mass of pieces of pieces of a compound). Sensitive detector for a gas chromatograph. Uses include:
- Identification of complex unknown compounds, i.e., impurities, metabolites, proteins
- Quantitation of volatile drugs and drug metabolites for pharmacokinetic analysis
Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (Q-TOF)
Determination of accurate mass of a compound in solution (up to 0.005 atomic mass units sensitivity). Ability to fragment compounds as well as to determine the respective masses of those fragments. Uses:
- Identification of complex unknown compounds, i.e., impurities, metabolites, proteins
- Unequivocal confirmation of the presence of known compounds