Method of multiple spiking isotope dilution mass spectrometry

Highlights

Mass spectroscopy is often used to determine the composition of a sample. It is useful in testing for trace elements in environmental, food, or health and safety, applications.

The complexity of analysis increases when there are different compounds in the sample. Several techniques have been developed to separate and identify the presence and quantities of the compounds. One of the challenges is to account for the way a sample’s composition changes during analysis. One of the techniques is the multiple spiking isotope dilution. However, the adoption of this technique has been slow due to complexity of mathematical analysis required and uncertainty associated with obtained results.

This technology provides a comprehensive method for interpretation of the multiple spiking isotope dilution results. The method permits precise and simultaneous characterization of multiple substances from a sample even if compounds have changed during the analysis. The approach allows for the initial and final amounts of involved analysis, conversion extent, and conversion degree and rate constants to be obtained from a single experiment. Moreover, the uncertainty in results can be estimated more accurately.

Technology transfer

This technology is available for licensing or for further development through a collaborative research agreement with NRC. The business opportunity may be referred to by its NRC ID: 12087.

Market applications

This technology is of particular interest to manufacturers of mass spectrometers.

How it works

Mass spectroscopy is increasingly used for measuring the presence and amounts of substances in samples, with applications in food, security, health and safety industries and is considered an excellent measurement tool.

One of the methods used to identify multiple compounds in a sample is isotope dilution. However, this method does not account for the sample changes during the analysis and composition changes must be determined mathematically or by conducting multiple experiments. Due to this complexity, uptake of this advanced calibration approach is slow. Current algorithms to address simultaneous compound formation and degradation using multiple spiking isotope dilution mass spectrometry are extremely complex and do not result in explicit results nor reliable estimates of uncertainty in those results. Many algorithms give identical numerical results for the initial amount of substances in the sample, but the coefficients that describe the changes during the analysis differ.

There is a demand for straightforward solutions to mass spectrometry analysis, particularly solutions that have application in agriculture, food and environmental testing.

A novel technology provides a simple method for extracting both kinetic and analytical data from samples subjected to multiple spiking isotope dilution mass spectrometry. It is a comprehensive interpretation of the multiple spiking isotope dilution results with precise and simultaneous characterization of multiple substances from a sample even if sample composition has changed during the analysis.

The method provides initial and final amounts of involved elements (analytes), conversion extent, and conversion degree and rate constants from a single quantitation experiment. Furthermore, uncertainty in the characterization of the substances is estimated more accurately than with prior methods.

Benefits

The technology provides a simple method for extracting both kinetic and analytical data from samples subjected to multiple spiking isotope dilution mass spectrometry. It provides consistent, accurate results with a single experiment and provides a reliable measure of uncertainty in results.

Patents

NRC file 12087: https://www.google.ca/patents/US8617901

Patent granted in US, pending in Canada and Europe

Contact

To inquire about this technology, please contact:

Martin Rutter, Portfolio Business Advisor
Telephone: 613-990-6439
Email: Martin.Rutter@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca