LC-MS for radiochemistry and chemistry characterization

本提案是在TRIUMF获得用于分析放射性和非放射性样品的液相色谱-质谱联用仪（LC-MS）。目前，在TRIUMF没有直接化学表征的质谱或核磁共振（NMR）仪器。质谱是化合物鉴定和反应监测的重要技术。对于放射性化合物，尽管现代化学长期需要多种直接表征，但其鉴定的传统做法仍然完全基于色谱（放射性薄层色谱和高效液相色谱）分析。当使用难以检测的低伽马辐射放射性核素时，对色谱信息的依赖变得更加不稳定。此外，如果在衰变链中存在多个子离子，例如225Ac或227，则跟踪放射性产物的色谱是复杂的。因此，对放射性化合物进行更彻底的表征是一种上升的趋势。为了跟上不断提高的科学标准，TRIUMF将从LC-MS中受益匪浅，为我们提供了一个急需的工具来识别或确认我们化合物的成分。LC-MS仪器将经常使用的研究人员在凯旋。除了放射性化合物，它的使用将涉及非放射性样品，使我们能够快速跟踪新的螯合剂和生物偶联物的合成。有了现场的LC-MS仪器，我们的学生参与合成项目的生产力将大大提高，帮助他们完成论文项目。我们的hqp还将受益于拥有高度市场化的技能和实际的LC-MS经验。几个NSERC资助的项目将得到支持，包括四个DG项目，重点是非常规放射性核素的螯合剂和生物偶联物的开发。我们的大学合作伙伴没有LC-MS仪器装置来运行放射性化合物，也没有其他经济上可行的替代方案。因此，我们的LC-MS仪器将在TRIUMF和来自21个成员大学和其他合作者的研究人员之间共享，为放射性化合物的光谱分析提供了一个独特的平台，并帮助我们了解一些传统方法难以表征的放射性核素的基本化学性质。所需的仪器要么是安捷伦的质量检测器，可以连接到我们现有的LC，要么是沃特斯的独立LC- ms系统。由于灵敏度更高，质量范围更大，因此首选安捷伦系统。TRIUMF在设置需要核通气的仪器方面拥有丰富的经验。专门的仪器技术员将维护仪器并提供实际操作培训。简而言之，该设备将提高放射性化合物表征的标准，产生更科学可靠的结果，加深我们对放射性化合物的认识，支持NSERC资助的几个项目，并提供全面的HQP培训。

This proposal is to acquire a liquid chromatography - mass spectrometer (LC-MS) for analysis of radioactive and nonradioactive samples at TRIUMF. Currently, there is no MS or Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) instrument for direct chemical characterization at TRIUMF. MS is an essential technique for compound identification and reaction monitoring. For radioactive compounds, the conventional practice for their identification is still solely based on chromatographic (radio-TLC and HPLC) analysis, despite modern chemistry long requiring multiple direct characterizations. The reliance on chromatographic information becomes more precarious when working with radionuclides with low gamma emissions that are hard to detect. Furthermore, tracking the chromatograms of radioactive products is complicated if multiple daughter ions are present in the decay chain, such as with 225Ac or 227Th. Hence, there is a rising trend to obtain more thorough characterization of radioactive compounds. To keep pace with the increasing scientific standards, TRIUMF would hugely benefit from having an LC-MS, giving us a much-needed tool to identify or confirm the composition of our compounds. The LC-MS instrument would be frequently used by the researchers at TRIUMF. In addition to radioactive compounds, its use would involve nonradioactive samples, enabling us to fast-track the synthesis of new chelators and bioconjugates. Having an LC-MS instrument on-site, the productivity of our students involved in synthetic projects would be greatly enhanced, helping them with their thesis projects. Our HQPs would also benefit by having a highly marketable skill with hands-on LC-MS experience. Several NSERC funded programs will be supported, including four DG programs centered on chelator and bioconjugate development for unconventional radionuclides. There is no LC-MS instrument setup to run radioactive compounds by our university partners and there is no other financially feasible alternative. Thus, our LC-MS instrument will be shared among researchers within TRIUMF and from 21 member universities and other collaborators, providing a unique platform for spectrometric analysis of radioactive compounds and helping us understand the fundamental chemistry of some radionuclides that hard to characterize by conventional methods. The instrument required is either a mass detector from Agilent that can be connected to our existing LC, or a stand-alone LC-MS system from Waters. The Agilent system is preferred due to higher sensitivity and larger mass range. TRIUMF has extensive experience setting up instruments that need nuclear ventilation. A dedicated instrument technician will maintain the instrument and provide hands-on training. In short, the equipment will raise the standard for radioactive compound characterization, generate more scientifically sound results, deepen our knowledge of radioactive compounds, support several NSERC funded programs, and deliver well-rounded HQP training.