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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #380505
Research Project: Advanced Technology for Rapid Comprehensive Analysis of the Chemical Components

Location: Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory

Title: Two- and three-dimensional chromatography with four dimensions of mass spectrometry, LC2MS4 and LC3MS4: Breaking the rules

Author
item Byrdwell, W Craig

Submitted to: Current Trends in Mass Spectrometry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/26/2021
Publication Date: 5/21/2021
Citation: Byrdwell, W.C. 2021. Two- and three-dimensional chromatography with four dimensions of mass spectrometry, LC2MS4 and LC3MS4: Breaking the rules. Current Trends in Mass Spectrometry. 49: 446–457.

Interpretive Summary: Two-Dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) is now routinely commercially available and is being implemented in an increasing number of labs around the world. Normally, 2D-LC is done using one or more detectors at the end of the second dimension, and the first dimension is reconstructed from numerous slices across the 1D peaks. This imposes severe constraints on the run times available in the second dimension, and introduces a host of other limitations. We started with a ground-up approach, disregarded or adapted some principles taken as immutable, broke rules, used uncommon approaches, and pioneered new techniques to accomplish separations that have never been possible before. We have employed 2D-LC with two highly different dimensions of separation with four mass spectrometers for detection with parallel detection in each dimension, with up to five other detectors for as many as nine detectors overall. We have further broken ground by using three dimensions of separation with four mass spectrometers, using two parallel second dimensions.

Technical Abstract: Two-Dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) is now routinely commercially available and is being implemented in an increasing number of labs around the world. Normally, 2D-LC is done using one or more detectors at the end of the second dimension, 2D, and the first dimension, 1D, is reconstructed from numerous slices across the 1D peaks. This imposes severe constraints on the run times available in the second dimension, and introduces a host of other limitations. We started with a ground-up approach, disregarded or adapted some principles taken as immutable, broke rules, used uncommon approaches, and pioneered new techniques to accomplish separations that have never been possible before. We have employed 2D-LC with two highly orthogonal dimensions of separation with four mass spectrometers for detection (employing different atmospheric pressure ionization types) with parallel detection in each dimension, referred to as LC2MS4 = LC1MS2 x LC1MS2, with up to five other detectors for as many as nine detectors overall. We have further broken ground by using three dimensions of separation with four mass spectrometers, using two parallel 2Ds, for LC3MS4 = LC1MS2 x (LC1MS1 + LC1MS1). We used multi-cycle (aka, constructive wraparound) chromatography, employed parallel gradients instead of modulation period gradients, utilized transferred eluent dilution (TED) in both 2Ds, and featured flow rate programming to fine tune elution in the second 2D. All systems were joined together using a wireless communication contact closure system that allowed quick and easy switching between many combinations of chromatographs and detectors for maximum flexibility.