fmnigan Introduces

The Automated GC/MS

Will The Others Ever Catch Up? 400A · ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY. VOL. 47. NO. 4. APRIL 1975

The First Fully Integrated GC/MS/Data System For Automatic Operation

Finnigan has long been the leader in GC/MS—in quality, features, and performance, as well as the number of units sold. Many of the developments pioneered by Finnigan have helped make GC/MS the powerful analytical tool it is today. And many of the most important and useful features are still available only on Finnigan systems.

Will the others ever catch up? The F Series will make it even harder for them to do it. But read what the F Series offers and decide for yourself.

Integrated System The F Series is the first GC/MS/Data System specifically designed and built as an integrated system for maximum performance and operator conven­ience. System components are no longer separate "black boxes" with only limited ability to communicate and interact. This system integration has some obvious technical ad­van tages—common power dis­tribution eliminates ground loops and internal cabling minimizes noise pick­up. But the important advantages show up in the performance you get in your laboratory.

High Mass Sensitivity The Models 3200F and 3300F in­corporate a unique ionizer concept —programmed ion energy. This method greatly enhances the injec­tion of high mass ions into the mass analyzer. You get spectra with excel­lent mass peak shapes, low noise, and amplitude ratios of high mass to low mass ions equal to the conventional sector type instruments. As a result, you get high sensitivity for the impor­tant molecular ion, even at 800 or 1000 amu. In fact, in either the CI or EI mode of operation, you get overall practical detection limits that are not surpassed by any other GC/MS, re­gardless of type or design.

Quantitative Mass I ragmentography

The advantages of a quadrupole mass spectrometer for mass fragmentog-raphy are well known—no limita­

tion on amu value of ions to be moni­tored, no refocusing or retuning of ion optics required, ability to vary dwell time and vary filtering digitally to max­imize signal-to-noise ratio, and many more. But not all quadrupole mass spectrometers are created equal. Only Finnigan quadrupole mass spectrometers have consistently provided reproducible results from routine uses in customers' labora­tories, as evidenced by papers pre­sented in symposia and published in journals.

Quantitative mass fragmentography is one of the most important uses of GC/MS. However, it also imposes the greatest demands on the GC/MS in­strument in terms of system design. Performing quantitative mass frag­mentography of picogram-level samples, such as stable-isotope-labeled drug metabolities in body tis­sues or fluids, or for quantitative specific monitoring of toxic chemicals at ppb levels, requires the MS elec­tronics to be highly stable under the most severe conditions. Very rapid switching of mass-set voltages and fast settling times are a must. Finnigan Models 3 2 0 0 F and 3 3 0 0 F can achieve a stability of better than 0.1 amu in 8 hours (usually for many days), even when switching at a rate of 500 Hz between masses that are several hundred amu's apart.

Precision and accuracy of better than 0.3% have been achieved for measur­ing isotope-labeled naturally occuring compounds at nanogram levels. This is a critical area where the others haven't caught up. By a wide margin.

The Data System If there is one word that describes the Finnigan Data System, it is conven­ience. Dialog via teletype is held to a minimum so you don't spend most of your time typing. For most important operations, the total dialog consists of pushing one clearly labeled button. Background subtraction, diagnostic routine, calibration, file listing, plot-

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ting, and peak ratios are just a few of the things that can be accomplished simply by pushing appropriately labeled buttons. In addition, the Fin­nigan Data System has the most complete laboratory-proven reper­toire of programs available with any commercial system. What's more, the system is fail-safe. If a mistake is made, a signal appears on the CRT. You just push the "reset" button and try again from the last correct step. No harm done. In other systems there are steps in the lengthy mnemonically coded dialog where one mistake can destroy all the ac­quired data! In addition to its outstanding conven­ience, versatility, and reliability for GC/MS, the Data System can also be used as a stand-alone computer sys­tem for a variety of uses in your laboratory. Your programs can be written in easy-to-use BASIC lan­guage. Another unique feature—your programs can gain access to the ac­quired data for you to work on them.

Designed With You In Mind The F Series GC/MS looks as if it were designed for maximum ease of operation. It was. The twin-cabinet package is totally human engineered to provide comfortable sit-down op­eration with easy reach of all fre­quently used controls. A slide-out table provides a convenient work sur­face for the operator, yet can be pushed away when lower modules need to be accessed.

Available Now As modern and advanced as we are in GC/MS, there is one way in which we are very old fashioned. We don't announce a new instrument until we are ready to deliver it. Finnigan F Series GC/MS/Data Systems are being shipped to customers right now. Shouldn't you think about being one of them? An instrument that is ahead of the rest today will let you accomplish a lot of important work while the others are trying to catch up tomorrow.

47, NO. 4, APRIL 1975 · 401 A