Multi-beam ion mobility time-of-flight mass spectrometer with bipolar ion extraction and zwitterion detection

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to instrumentation and methodology for the characterization of chemical samples in solutions or on a surface which is based on modified ionization methods with or without adjustable pH and controllable H-D exchange in solution, an improved ion mobility spectrometer (IMS), a multi-beam ion pre-selection of the initial flow, and coordinated mobility and mass ion separation and detection using a single or several independent time-of-flight mass spectrometers for different beams with methods for fragmenting ion mobility-separated ions and multi-channel data recording

1 - 85 . (canceled) 
     
     
         86 . A method of analyzing a sample comprising the steps of:
 creating a flow of gaseous ions or a mixture of gaseous ions and gaseous neutral species from said sample wherein said sample comprising isotopically-labeled chemical species and a corresponding non-isotopically-labeled chemical species wherein said isotopically-labeled chemical species and the corresponding non-isotopically-labeled species have a nearly identical mobility cross-section and wherein said method further comprises using shifts of mass-to-charge ratio related to said isotopic labeling to analyze said sample;   directing said flow into a collection region;   injecting said flow from said collection region into an ion mobility assembly; and,   detecting said flow exiting said ion mobility assembly.   
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 86  wherein said sample is a biological sample. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 86  wherein said sample comprises a drug bound to a least one biomolecule. 
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein said sample comprises a drug bound to a metabolite. 
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein the ion mobility assembly comprises a plurality of mobility tubes. 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein the collection region is an orthogonal collection region. 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein said isotopically-labeled chemical species and the corresponding non-isotopically-labeled species form an isotopic pair. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein the step of detecting said flow exiting said ion mobility assembly further comprises an algorithm for identifying an isotopic pairs by horizontal shifts of mass-to-charge ratio related to said isotopic pair. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein said sample comprises a non-exchangeable isotopically-labeled chemical species and a corresponding non-isotopically-labeled chemical species. 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein said biological sample is a cell culture. 
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein said biological sample fluid. 
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein said biological sample is a tissue sample.