VUV synchrotron radiation: a new activation technique for tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract

A novel experimental technique for tandem mass spectrometry and ion spectroscopy of electrosprayed ions using vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) synchrotron radiation is presented. Photon activation of trapped precursor ions has been performed by coupling a commercial linear quadrupole ion trap (Thermo scientific LTQ XL), equipped with the electrosprayed ions source, to the DESIRS beamline at the SOLEIL synchrotron radiation facility. The obtained results include, for the first time on biopolymers, photodetachment spectroscopy using monochromated synchrotron radiation of multi-charged anions and the single photon ionization of large charge-selected polycations. The high efficiency and signal-to-noise ratio achieved by the present set-up open up possibilities of using synchrotron light as a new controllable activation method in tandem mass spectrometry of biopolymers and VUV-photon spectroscopy of large biological ions.

Structure and Charge‐State Dependence of the Gas‐Phase Ionization Energy of Proteins

“…[35] Monochromatic photons with 20 meV bandwidth were admitted inside the ion trap to interact with the target ions, as described in detail elsewhere. [14] After irradiation, the product-ion mass spectrum was recorded. This process was repeated over the photon energy range of interest to extract the different charge-dependent ionization energies.…”

“…[10,11] The coupling of a linear ion trap (Thermo Scientific LTQ XL) offering ESI capabilities with the vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) DESIRS beamline [12,13] at the SOLEIL synchrotron radiation facility has been reported recently. [14][15][16] The association of a quadrupole ion trap and a VUV beamline at Bessy II has also been performed. [17,18] These experimental setups offer the unique ability to study the photoninduced dynamics and electronic properties of protonated protein ions by performing action spectroscopy of trapped ions isolated under vacuum.…”

Photoionization of atomic and molecular positively charged ions

“…They have been in fast development during the last five years, mainly at SOLEIL in France and BESSY II in Germany. Different traps have been used: FT-ICR for the study of singly-charged atomic and small molecular ions as shown in this paper, linear traps for the study of singly-charged atomic ions [32], large molecular [9] and metallic clusters ions [8], RF trap for the study of large molecular ions of biological interest [33][34][35], electron beam ion trap (EBIT) for the study of highly-charged atomic ions [7,36]. To finish, let us note the construction of an electrostatic ring to store the ions at ASTRID II in Denmark, which will combine some of the advantages of both merged beam setup and ion trap.…”

Photoinduced fragmentation of gas-phase protonated leucine- enkephalin peptide in the VUV range

“…A commercial mass spectrometer Thermo Phiningan LTQ XL (LTQ) equipped with ESI was connected to the synchrotron VUV beamline DESIRS [10], with custom made turbo differential vacuum manifold [11][12][13]. Leu-enk ions produced by ESI were isolated in a linear quadrupole ion trap and subjected to VUV photons.…”