Triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with inductively coupled plasma Thermo Scientific iCAP MTX

The Thermo Scientific iCAP MTX mass spectrometric system is a triple quadrupole ICP-MS designed for elemental analysis in the most complex matrices. The device belongs to the class of high-performance mass spectrometers and is in demand in environmental monitoring, clinical research, food safety control, materials science and geochemistry. The heart of the system is a triple quadrupole configuration, which includes a first quadrupole (Q1) for ion beam pre-filtration, a QCell collision and reaction cell, and a third quadrupole for analyzing the resulting reaction products. This architecture allows the use of selective ion-molecular reactions to eliminate spectral interferences that cannot be removed by the kinetic energy discriminant method. The device can also operate in single quadrupole (SQ) mode for simpler samples. Interference removal is controlled through the Reaction Finder Method Development Assistant, which automatically selects the optimal isotope, reaction gas, and ion product for each analyte. The available operating modes include the kinetic energy discriminant (He KED) mode and the mass shift modes with oxygen and ammonia gases in the triple quadrupole configuration (TQ-O₂, TQ-nh₃). The combination of these modes makes it possible to effectively suppress typical interferences and achieve a linear response for analytes in the concentration range up to 8 orders of magnitude. The sample entry system includes an optimized nebulizer, a cooled spray chamber and an auto-operated burner with a quick connection system, which eliminates the need for manual adjustment of gas connections. For the analysis of samples with a high solute content, an integrated argon dilution solution (Argon Gas Dilution, AGD) is provided, which, together with the innovative cone design, minimizes matrix deposition and ensures long-term signal stability. The system's performance on whole blood samples was confirmed by continuous analysis of 287 samples for 15 hours. The device status is monitored through the built-in Hawk Consumables and Maintenance Assistant and Instrument Performance Monitor tools, which monitor the condition of consumable components in real time and help plan maintenance. The software includes template workflows that simplify the configuration of standardized methods.