The reduction of collision induced dissociation effects in thermospray sources on sector instruments

Abstract

Thermospray spectra on a magnetic sector mass spectrometer, by definition measured at high accelerating voltages, are seen to be highly fragmented. This is rationalised in terms of the necessity to accelerate ions through a region of high pressure in the vicinity of the ion-collecting orifice at the spray volume, where ions may be energized by ion molecule collisions. In this region, a high percentage of the parent ion current is lost through the dispersion of the ion beam and by the collisional activation of molecular ions resulting in extensive fragmentation. The investigation of means by which these effects may be minimized has led to the construction of an improved sector thermospray source. Comparative results for gramicidin S demonstrate that its fragmentation is reduced and that the intensity of the protonated molecular ion is greatly enhanced.