Triple-quadrupole liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer Thermo Scientific TSQ Altis Plus

The Thermo Scientific TSQ Altis Plus mass spectrometric system is a new generation triple quadrupole detector from the Plus series, designed for highly sensitive quantitative analysis and translational research. The device is aimed at laboratories performing targeted analysis in the fields of proteomics, metabolomics, pharmacokinetics and clinical research, where maximum reproducibility and sensitivity are required when working with complex biological matrices. The system is based on the Active Ion Management Plus (AIM+) ion management technology, which combines several key innovations. The optimized OptaMax NG ion source with automatic gas and voltage connection supports electrospray and chemical ionization modes at atmospheric pressure. The source is capable of maintaining temperatures up to 550 degrees Celsius. The High-Capacity Transfer Tube (HCTT) capillary transfer tube increases the flow of ions entering the analyzer, and the Electrodynamic Ion Funnel (EDIF) Electrodynamic ion funnel effectively focuses the ions before they are introduced into the mass analyzer. The mass analyzer includes segmented QR5 quadrupoles with a hyperbolic surface, providing stable and reproducible ion filtration. The range of registered masses ranges from 5 to 3000 atomic mass units. The resolution of the first and third quadrupoles in the H-SRM mode reaches 0.2 atomic mass units. The Active Collision Cell II (ARC II) with an axial constant electric field ensures a high speed of registration of SRM transitions. The detector system includes an amplifying discrete diode with two modes of operation: pulse counting for low flows and analog counting for high flows. This design provides a linear dynamic range of more than six orders of magnitude. The detection limit of the device is characterized by a signal-to-noise ratio of 1,500,000 to one when 1 picogram of reserpine is injected, and for negative ionization, a similar indicator is achieved for 1 picogram of chloramphenicol. The reproducibility of the signal is less than 5 percent RSD with six consecutive injections. The speed of registration of transitions reaches 600 SRM per second, and the minimum delay time is 0.3 milliseconds. The time for switching the polarity between positive and negative ionization is no more than 5 milliseconds. The mass axis stability is 0.05–0.1 atomic mass units for 24 hours of continuous operation. The device is controlled via Chromeleon CDS and TraceFinder software. The automatic calibration function combines several steps in one procedure. The methods developed for previous generations of TSQ mass spectrometers can be transferred to the Altis Plus system without loss of performance. The system is integrated with the mzCloud database of high-quality mass spectra, which contains information on optimal transitions and collision energies. The mass spectrometer is compatible with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and ion chromatography systems. The device is actively used in translational research for biomarker verification, quantitative proteomics, as well as in clinical and forensic toxicology laboratories.