For laboratories performing quantitation, liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-QQQ MS) technology has been the standard for quantitation of many types of compounds, from pesticide residues in food and feed, to testosterone in plasma and urine for research applications. Coupling these techniques is powerful due to their combined selectivity and sensitivity. Additionally, quadrupole-based mass analyzers provide reliable, cost-efficient quantitation and identification of target analytes.
With the introduction of Thermo Scientific hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap Quadrupole High Resolution-Accurate Mass Spectrometry (HRAM) mass spectrometers, a new equally powerful alternative for quantitation has emerged. Orbitrap mass spectrometer technology has revolutionized the field of MS by combining high-performance quadrupole precursor selection with HRAM detection to provide superior resolution and selectivity.
Regardless of which technique is used, the ability to develop robust assays is possible with both triple quadrupole and HRAM instruments. Both technologies enable confident quantitation in a variety of sample types.