Advanced two-dimensional mass spectrometry becomes accessible on benchtop instruments

Researchers at the University of Warwick and spin-out company Verdel Instruments have demonstrated, for the first time, that two-dimensional mass spectrometry (2DMS) can be performed on a commercially available benchtop quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometer.

This breakthrough, achieved using an upgrade kit makes high-resolution 2DMS practical and affordable for routine use in laboratories worldwide, transforming how scientists in healthcare, environmental safety, drug control and drug development analyze complex mixtures.

Overcoming the limitations of conventional mass spectrometry workflows

Modern mass spectrometry workflows typically rely on multiple steps to reduce sample complexity before measurement. Chromatography is used to separate components, acquisition methods filter signals and data processing pipelines simplify the resulting information. While these steps are essential, they inevitably lead to information loss, often without the analyst realizing which signals or relationships have been removed.

The field has long recognized the power of 2DMS to capture richer structural and compositional information from complex samples. However, until now, the technique has required highly specialized, expensive hardware available only in a small number of well-funded centers.

“The field has long recognized the power of 2DMS, but it has simply not been accessible – only the best-funded centers could afford the specialist hardware," said Tim Wilson, CEO of Verdel Instruments. "Our technology makes 2DMS possible on benchtop instruments, which are widely available. Any lab can now access this powerful technique.”

Q-2DMS: Two-dimensional mass spectrometry on a Q-TOF platform

In their paper¹, the Verdel Instruments and University of Warwick team reports the first demonstration of 2DMS on a commercially available quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) instrument using an upgrade kit. The researchers refer to this implementation as Q-2DMS.

The study shows that Q-2DMS can be used to obtain high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) data directly from complex mixtures, without the need for chromatographic separation or mass filtering. This approach allows laboratories to retain and interrogate far more of the information present in their samples than is typically possible with conventional workflows.

How Q-2DMS works

The Q-2DMS method operates by assigning each analyte a unique frequency signature based on its mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio. During analysis, when these analytes fragment, the resulting product ions retain the original frequency signature of their precursor.

A mathematical decoding process then uses these signatures to instantly determine which fragments originated from which analytes. What would normally appear as an unusable, overlapping set of signals is transformed into an ordered series of mass spectra, comparable to those obtained using traditional separation and filtering techniques, but now enriched with information that is often lost in conventional workflows.

The published work demonstrates that Q-2DMS can preserve up to tenfold more usable spectral information when analysing closely related or near-isobaric compounds. This enhanced information content is particularly valuable when dealing with complex mixtures where subtle differences between analytes are critical.

Enabling new applications across research and industry

By making 2DMS available on benchtop Q-TOF instruments, the Verdel Instruments and University of Warwick team has opened up new possibilities across multiple application areas:

• Healthcare: Faster identification of unexpected drug metabolites, supporting more personalized treatment strategies and improved patient outcomes.
• Environmental safety: Direct detection of emerging contaminants, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), without pre-separation, accelerating water quality and environmental monitoring.
• Drug control: Rapid characterization of novel synthetic drugs and designer compounds, aiding forensic laboratories and regulatory agencies.
• Drug development: Discovery of unanticipated reaction products and impurities, helping pharmaceutical scientists better understand reaction pathways and product purity.

Building on world-leading research at the University of Warwick

Dr Shum Prakash, Business Development Manager at Warwick Innovations, highlighted the long-term research effort behind the new technology.

“Years of world-leading research have led to Warwick spin-out Verdel Instruments launching Q-2DMS. It combines high-resolution, easy-to-use readouts with a complete time stamp of each sample, so researchers can revisit the data later without needing the original sample, which may have degraded."

By preserving a complete time-stamped record of each analysis, Q-2DMS enables scientists to re-examine their data as new questions arise, without having to re-run precious or unstable samples.

Opening new scientific questions with accessible 2DMS

Peter O’Connor, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Warwick and senior author of the paper, emphasized the broader scientific impact of making 2DMS widely accessible. “What excites us most is what we don’t yet know. By making this technique accessible, we’re enabling scientists worldwide to ask questions they couldn’t ask before, and to find answers they weren’t necessarily looking for.”

References

1. Wright S, Cassidy N, Colburn A, O’ Connor PB. Chromatography-Free Analysis of Mixtures Using a Two-Dimensional Mass Spectrometry (2DMS)-Enabled Quadrupole Time-of-Flight (QToF) Analyzer. Analytical Chemistry, May 5, 2026, volume 98, issue 17.

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