BenchTOF

High-performance time-of-flight mass spectrometers for gas chromatography

BenchTOF ™

Changing the way you think about time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Outstanding performance for every GC application, unbeatable productivity and enhanced quality of results come as standard with every BenchTOF.

Not only that, but its original, modular design enables BenchTOF to provide the flexibility to meet the demands of increasingly complex applications.

Join the growing number of laboratories worldwide, and discover what BenchTOF can bring to your analysis.

The impressive sensitivity, speed and spectral quality of the BenchTOF has enabled us to address research questions that literally ‘escaped’ our previous set-up

“”

Dr Carsten Müller School of Biosciences,

Cardiff University, UK

A BenchTOF for every application...

BenchTOF-Evolve™

Take the next step up in GC–MS and harness the SIM-level sensitivity and full spectral information available with TOF MS, while keeping the user interface you’re familiar with.

Complemented by powerful deconvolution software, BenchTOF-Evolve gives you qualification of trace-level targets and confident identification of unknowns in a single run – making it ideal for routine but challenging applications such as air monitoring and forensic analysis.

BenchTOF-HD™

If you’re in a high-throughput or QA/QC laboratory, BenchTOF-HD gives you the outstanding performance you need, whatever your GC (or GC×GC) application.

In addition, challenging environmental or food analysis applications become effortless when you harness TOF-DS™ software with its suite of method-development tools – including ‘unlockable’ parameters and near-real-time data processing.

BenchTOF-Select™

Choose BenchTOF-Select when you’d love the extra confidence that comes with soft ionisation, but don’t want the hassle of ion-source changes and can’t afford to compromise on sensitivity.

Incorporating Select-eV® ion-source technology, BenchTOF-Select delivers all the performance advantages of BenchTOF, but with the added bonus of revolutionary soft electron ionisation spectra. These feature enhanced molecular ions, reduced fragmentation and minimised chemical background – making BenchTOF-Select perfect for tackling the most challenging samples such as fragranced goods and petrochemicals.

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In contrast to conventional mass spectrometers, which work by mass filtering, time-of-flight instruments simultaneously analyse all ions. When combined with the highly efficient direct extraction ion source in BenchTOF, this boosts sensitivity to the level normally encountered in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode – as illustrated by the calculated IDL from repeat injections of octafluoronaphthalene (OFN). Unlike SIM, however, this level of sensitivity can be achieved while collecting mass spectra across the full m/z range.

Unlike other TOF mass spectrometers, the spectral quality of BenchTOF results in excellent matches to ‘classical’ quadrupole spectra in commercial or custom libraries. In this example, the spectrum of tetracontane (C40H82) shows preservation of the molecular ion.

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Every BenchTOF instrument offers a synergistic combination of sensitivity, spectral quality, selectivity, speed and stability, which together deliver ‘high-definition’ mass spectrometry – a powerful approach to any GC application.

The SIM-like sensitivity of BenchTOF – combined with full-range spectral information – delivers outstanding results for trace-level analysis of targets and unknowns.

Exceptional spectral quality perfectly complements this capability, allowing confident chemical fingerprinting in a single run.

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High-definition mass spectrometry

Sub-unit mass selectivity enables BenchTOF to selectively eliminate matrix interferences, dramatically improving signal-to-noise ratios and enabling unambiguous detection of trace target compounds in complex matrices.

High-speed spectral acquisition provides information-rich datasets, which allow enhanced data-mining, and ensure compatibility with fast GC and GC×GC. The result is that complex samples can be analysed in minutes rather than hours.

The long-term stability of analyte response is a result of the innovative engineering of BenchTOF instruments. This unique stability results in a greatly reduced need for cleaning or maintenance, so minimising downtime and improving productivity.

Precise identification of target compounds becomes possible when sub-unit mass selectivity is used to eliminate matrix interferences – as illustrated here for identification of the herbicide alachlor in a river water extract. Note also the excellent spectral match of 907 for alachlor against the NIST library.

The structured ordering and excellent peak shape in this GC×GC diesel analysis allow identification of all chemical classes in a single run.

The exceptional stability of the BenchTOF detector is demonstrated in the relative standard deviations obtained over the course of a month for this fragrance mix. Even with no intermediate instrument tuning, the ISTD-corrected area responses for 213 injections show minimal variation.

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The BenchTOF family

The three BenchTOF models are designed with key applications in mind – making it easy to find the package that meets your requirements.

BenchTOF-Evolve™

The natural successor to conventional GC–MS technology.

For laboratories attuned to routine GC–MS workflows, BenchTOF-Evolve provides a refreshingly straightforward way of realising the benefits of TOF mass spectrometry.

The software package provided with BenchTOF-Evolve provides full instrument control, but minimises any training requirements by allowing you to process the data in your familiar software environment. Also supplied as standard is Markes’ TargetView™ platform for powerful deconvolution and compound identification in challenging samples.

BenchTOF-HD™

TargetView enables hidden peaks to be identified and reported with minimal operator training, and can also process third-party files, helping you to unify your laboratory procedures.

Control BenchTOF-Evolve – and a number of leading GCs and autosamplers – all in one simple package. File-type export options include .raw, .d and .cdf, allowing you to process the data in the software package of your choice.

Streamlined data-processing for enhanced productivity.

The needs of demanding high-throughput laboratories are exceeded, thanks to the TOF-DS™ software package that comes as standard with every BenchTOF-HD.

In addition to full instrument control, you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of time-saving data-processing capability. Highlights include:

■ Near-real-time data-processing for fast and efficient reporting of results – automated integration, deconvolution and library-searching can all be set to happen while the sample is still acquiring.

■ Display and integration of sub-unit-mass data for enhanced quantitation.

■ ChromCompare® – an innovative software module that allows large-scale data screening and comparison of complex GC–MS profiles.

■ Unlockable parameters – for rapid method development.

EucalyptolLimonene

BenchTOF-Select™

Full sample characterisation in a single sequence.

Adding an extra dimension of information to your analyses, award-winning Select-eV® ionisation technology comes as standard with BenchTOF-Select.

Simple upgrade routes are also available to add Select-eV capability to your BenchTOF-Evolve or BenchTOF-HD system.

The power of Select-eV is perfectly illustrated by these spectra of limonene. In the 12 eV spectrum, the enhanced molecular ion at m/z 136 helps to confirm compound identity. At the same time, the reduced degree of fragmentation enhances the response from the structurally significant higher-m/z fragments.

Select-eV

Select-eV allows you to collect soft EI spectra down to 10 eV, and is fully automated by TOF-DS software with no need for manual intervention.

Enjoy greater confidence in identification, thanks to the enhanced molecular ion, reduced fragmentation and minimised chemical background delivered by Select-eV – without any of the hassle and expense associated with other soft ionisation techniques.

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Uniquely powerful processing is at your fingertips with TOF-DS software. TOF-DS perfectly complements the speed and quality of spectra generated by BenchTOF, while the near-real-time capability aids on-the-fly method development.

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Near-real-time data processing

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Fast qual-to-quant workflow

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Automated detection of priority pollutants......in air monitoring

Air monitoring often demands the detection of analytes with low odour or toxicity thresholds. This challenge is met by BenchTOF-Evolve, which combines outstanding sensitivity with TargetView deconvolution to identify trace-level target species even when they co-elute.

Confident identification of trace-level odorants in air

The inherent sensitivity of BenchTOF-Evolve allows automated detection of a range of pollutants in this sample of air from the outlet of a biological waste processing plant. Combined with peak deconvolution and automated reporting using TargetView, this capability allows two odorous sulfur compounds to be identified quickly and easily.

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1 Propane2 Isobutane3 n-Butane4 Acetaldehyde5 Ethanol6 Propanal7 Acetone8 Butan-2-one9 Methylglyoxal10 3-Methylbutanal11 Trichloroethene12 Pentanal13 Toluene14 2-Methylpropanenitrile

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Enhanced data confidence……in forensic analysis

The confident identification of challenging compounds at ultra-trace levels makes BenchTOF-Evolve perfect for forensic investigations. Moreover, full spectral data is acquired, which allows retrospective searching for new compounds of interest. Such searching is made simple with the powerful algorithms for deconvolution and custom library management provided with TargetView software.

Confident identification of co-eluting compounds

Otherwise ‘hidden’ drugs-of-abuse are resolved in this complex urine profile using the power of BenchTOF-Evolve with TargetView.

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Powerful emission profiling......of chemicals & odours released from products & materials

The high sensitivity and sub-unit mass selectivity of BenchTOF-HD enables you to identify trace-level odorous and toxic compounds that would have previously escaped attention, at the same time as meeting (or exceeding) regulatory requirements.

Eliminating matrix interferences from complex emission profiles

Sub-unit mass selectivity can eliminate matrix interferences, allowing precise identification of target compounds. This is illustrated here for the emission profile of plastics used in a car stereo, collected using Markes’ Micro-Chamber/Thermal Extractor. Quantitation using such sub-unit mass data is easily implemented using TOF-DS software.

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Reliably identifying trace components……to ensure food safety

The analytical performance of BenchTOF-HD, combined with the power of TOF-DS software, allows you to detect compounds (such as trace-level adulterants or odour taints) that may previously have gone unidentified. These results can even be displayed while the sample is still acquiring, thanks to the near-real-time data-processing capability of TOF-DS.

Confident identification of co-eluting compounds

The outstanding spectral quality of BenchTOF allows confident identification of co-eluting components – even at trace levels. In this case, a minor peak in the aroma profile of a cheese sample was found to comprise four co-eluting compounds at picogram levels. The mass spectra of the deconvolved components match very well with those in the NIST library.

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Objective, automated sample comparison……for rapid quality control of aroma profiles

The fundamental features of BenchTOF-HD make it perfect for aroma profiling of food and drink – and this is enhanced by the ability of TOF-DS software to streamline workflow. A key data-processing tool in TOF-DS is the ChromCompare® module for automated comparison of target compounds in multiple samples. By distilling down the differences between complex chromatograms to simple match factors, it allows efficient checking of product quality and objective assessment of product conformity.

Automated chemical profiling for fast quality control

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The advanced data-mining functions of TOF-DS are also available in near-real-time,

speeding up the review of urgent samples.

See results as they’re acquired

0.25%Rapid comparison of strawberry aroma profiles against a control sample is simple with ChromCompare. Relative abundances of key olfactory components are converted into an easy-to-understand bar chart, and then used to generate ‘match factors’ indicating the quality of each pairwise sample comparison. In this case, the presence of two trace-level sulfur compounds in the sample (and their complete absence from the control) results in a low match factor, flagging a potential QC issue.

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Exceptional data confidence...…in environmental screening

The combination of sensitivity, spectral quality and speed makes BenchTOF-HD perfect for confident identification of trace-level priority and emerging contaminants in a single run. In addition, its compatibility with fast GC and GC×GC gives you the flexibility to carry out rapid routine screening, or more detailed analysis of the most complex environmental extracts.

Enhanced productivity for trace-level quantitation Fast data acquisition – ideal for GC×GC

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The simple qual-to-quant workflow in TOF-DS streamlines visual data review, while the ‘suitability flags’ () make it easy to check for errors – as shown in this linearity analysis of p,p′-DDE.

The high rate of spectral acquisition provided by BenchTOF results in excellent peak shape and peak-to-peak resolution for challenging GC×GC analyses, such as this set of dichloro- to heptachlorobiphenyls.

This 95-component mix of environmental contaminants and pesticides (20 pg on-column) was analysed in less than 10 minutes using BenchTOF. Moreover, the exceptional linearity (and repeatability) for this application is achieved with minimal instrument maintenance – source cleaning is usually only needed on the routine annual service.

Comprehensive aroma profiling......of fragranced products

By allowing conventional 70 eV and ‘soft’ electron ionisation (EI) spectra to be collected in a single, automated sequence, BenchTOF-Select provides you with that extra level of confidence when analysing fragranced products. In addition, distinguishing between structurally similar compounds becomes routine, because of the enhanced intensities for the molecular ion (and larger, structurally significant ions) in these soft EI spectra.

Full sample characterisation in a single sequence

Using Select-eV, conventional 70 eV and soft EI spectra can be acquired in a single sequence in TOF-DS software, without the hassle of changing the ion source. The result – as shown by the spectra of caryophyllene and benzyl benzoate from the fragrance profile of a laundry powder – is enhancement of the molecular and diagnostic ions, leading to enhanced sensitivity and selectivity.

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An extra dimension of information……in petrochemical analyses

The separating power of GC×GC, combined with the speed, sensitivity and spectral excellence of BenchTOF-Select, allows challenging compounds even in the most complex petrochemical matrices to be detected and identified. Some compounds, however – such as isomeric alkanes – demand an extra dimension of information, and here Select-eV technology is indispensible, with the soft EI spectra delivering the improved speciation that is crucial for robust chemical fingerprinting.

The enhanced selectivity of Select-eV is evident in the analysis of sterane-type biomarkers in crude oil. Common ions across the entire chemical class are diminished, while structurally-significant ions are enhanced.

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More confident speciation becomes possible using the power of Select-eV. This is illustrated here for three hydrocarbon isomers, which are particularly challenging because of their similar spectra and weak molecular ions at conventional 70 eV ionisation energies.

Additional confidence in component identification

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Markes International Ltd

Gwaun Elai Medi-Science Campus Llantrisant

RCT, CF72 8XL UK

T: +44 (0)1443 230935 F: +44 (0)1443 231531

E: enquiries@markes.com W: www.markes.com

Markes International, Inc.

11126-D Kenwood Road Cincinnati

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T: 866-483-5684 (toll-free) F: 513-745-0741

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Markes International GmbH

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Frankfurt Germany

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BenchTOF™, BenchTOF-Evolve™, BenchTOF-HD™, BenchTOF-Select™, TargetView™ and TOF-DS™ are trademarks of Markes International. ChromCompare® and Select-eV® are registered trademarks of Markes International.

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