High resolution tandem mass spectrometer coupled to ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography

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We aim to acquire an analytical system consisting of a ultra high performance liquid chromatograph and a high resolution tandem mass spectrometer. The chromatographic system should include a binary high pressure solvent pump, temperature-controlled column compartment, an automatic injection system with coolable sample compartment as well as a diode array detector. For the high resolution mass spectrometry system high mass accuracy and sensitivity for the determination of accurate molecular masses of low abundant and unknown compounds. Furthermore, the system must include the option for tandem mass spectrometry and the parallel acquisition of ion mobility spectrometry data would be beneficial. An important aspect is also a powerful software solution for data processing and interpretation of the resulting data.The principal applications for the new system lie in the untargeted analysis of lipids and other small molecules in complex biological and food samples. One focus is on the assessment of lipidome changes during the preparation and processing of food and the determination of the resulting oxidized lipids. The system will, among other applications, be used to create a systematic database with of lipid oxidation products and to improve the understanding which compounds are formed in food and how the preparation conditions influence the formation. Further projects deal with the characterization of bioactive food constituents and their metabolites, the structural elucidation of sugar degradation products as well as to assess the role of lipid systems in the brain in connection with mental illnesses.