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A novel four-dimensional analytical approach for analysis of complex samples

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Abstract

A two-dimensional LC (2D-LC) method, based on the work of Erni and Frei in 1978, was developed and coupled to an ion mobility-high-resolution mass spectrometer (IM-MS), which enabled the separation of complex samples in four dimensions (2D-LC, ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), and mass spectrometry (MS)). This approach works as a continuous multiheart-cutting LC system, using a long modulation time of 4 min, which allows the complete transfer of most of the first - dimension peaks to the second - dimension column without fractionation, in comparison to comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography. Hence, each compound delivers only one peak in the second dimension, which simplifies the data handling even when ion mobility spectrometry as a third and mass spectrometry as a fourth dimension are introduced. The analysis of a plant extract from Ginkgo biloba shows the separation power of this four-dimensional separation method with a calculated total peak capacity of more than 8700. Furthermore, the advantage of ion mobility for characterizing unknown compounds by their collision cross section (CCS) and accurate mass in a non-target approach is shown for different matrices like plant extracts and coffee.

Principle of the four-dimensional separation

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Acknowledgments

We are thankful to Agilent for the third Infinity pump system and Phenomenex for the HPLC columns.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Applied Analytical Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstr. 5, 45141, Essen, Germany

    Susanne Stephan, Cornelia Jakob, Jörg Hippler & Oliver J. Schmitz

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  1. Susanne Stephan
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  2. Cornelia Jakob
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  3. Jörg Hippler
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  4. Oliver J. Schmitz
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Correspondence to Oliver J. Schmitz.

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Stephan, S., Jakob, C., Hippler, J. et al. A novel four-dimensional analytical approach for analysis of complex samples. Anal Bioanal Chem 408, 3751–3759 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-016-9460-9

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