Evaporative Sample Preparation for Mass Spectrometry

26 Jun 2017
Abigail Berry
Administrator / Office Personnel

Genevac has established a new web page that brings together customer technical articles that illustrate how centrifugal evaporation has become a sample preparation technique of choice for laboratories that seek to analyze complex samples using hyphenated mass spectrometry (MS) techniques.

Many laboratories still rely upon the use of a rotary evaporator to perform the evaporation part of their sample preparation protocol prior to LC-MS or GC-MS analysis. While rotary evaporator methods often give good recoveries, they can only handle a single sample, require continuous monitoring to control the process and to ensure that no foaming or bumping occurs.

For labs involved with GC-MS or LC-MS – Genevac SampleGenie™ technology in conjunction with a Rocket Synergy, HT or EZ-2 series evaporator is enabling large sample volumes to be dried directly into vials eliminating several time-consuming sample handling steps and the attendant risk of errors. SampleGenie is proven to reduce evaporation times by up to 66%, is compatible with a wide range of HPLC, GC and storage vial sizes and is a proven methodology for environmental analysis, metabolism and toxicology studies, food and beverage research, drugs of abuse testing as well as post purification protocols in life science research.

Environmental analysis of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), glyphosphates and agal toxins are today a critical requirement in monitoring the quality of municipal water supplies. A paper is available for download that describes how a direct evaporative method developed to replace a solid phase extraction sample preparation technique that has traditionally been used prior to LC-MS-MS analysis of algal toxins in lake water. The authors demonstrate how the direct evaporation sample preparation technique offers distinct advantages over solid phase extraction by eliminating the sample clean-up step, improving reproducibility, decreasing analysis time, minimizing waste generation and being more cost effective.

MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry is a widely accepted technique for the elucidation and quantitation of biomolecules in life science research. However, concentrating oligonucleotides, proteins, antibodies and other large biomolecules prior to analysis is not straightforward. A paper is available for download that describes how Genevac centrifugal evaporators have been able to protect these sensitive samples from thermal degradation and by preventing cross contamination between different samples in a microplate.

Find further information here.

Sample Genie

Genevac

SampleGenie technology, in conjunction with Genevac Rocket Synergy, HT and EZ-2 series evaporators, enables large sample volumes to be dried directly into vials, eliminating a number of time-consuming sample handling steps and the attendant risk of errors. Traditionally protocols for concentration of chromatographic fractions has involved drying multiple fractions in an evaporator, re-suspending and pooling fractions into a single vial and then re-drying before storage and analysis. Even with modern centrifugal evaporators such processes typically take 2-3 days to complete. Using SampleGenie pooled fractions can be dried directly into the final submission vial, reducing the process time by up to 66%.  Available for starting volumes of up to 60ml, 125ml and 250ml, SampleGenie is compatible with a wide range of HPLC, GC and storage vial sizes.

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Rocket Synergy Evaporator

Genevac

Rocket Evaporators use patented vacuum technology to evaporate solutions to dryness, or a concentrate, rapidly and safely. The latest Synergy series offers integrated, flexible solutions for processing a wide range of sample volumes. Interchangeable rotors will accommodate tubes, flasks and batch volumes of up to 100L. Rocket Synergy is designed primarily to quickly process larger volumes of solvent in parallel and without supervision. The Rocket Synergy Evaporator will accommodate six flasks, each containing up to 450ml of solvent, as well a variety of innovative Genevac sample holders such as the SampleGenie. The removable rotor may also be replaced with a 5L 316 stainless steel vessel for batch processing. Now you don't need to choose between flask or batch/feed evaporation. The Rocket and Rocket 4D Synergy evaporators will accommodate your process, whatever the volume. Each is capable of replacing several rotary evaporators and saving valuable bench space.

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EZ-2 Series

Genevac

Using the most advanced proven technology in evaporation science, the third generation of the EZ-2 Series has been designed specifically for solvent removal in life science research; be that concentration of samples or complete drying.  The innovative design of the EZ-2 Series presents many advantages for working in parallel within synthesis chemistry, analytical sample preparation and for general-purpose solvent removal needs in life science laboratories. At the heart of the evaporator is a solvent resistant, oil-free vacuum pump, and the high efficiency, defrost-free, SpeedTrap™, which traps all solvents as liquids, even water. Solvents collect in the insulated, plastic coated glass vessel, enabling the user to see the progress of evaporation and determine when the trap should be emptied. The EZ-2 Elite has a special auto-draining collection vessel fitted to the SpeedTrap, which uses the very powerful Scroll pump. The Elite can therefore evaporate the highest boiling solvents such as DMSO and perform the Genevac LyoSpeed fast lyophilisation method for HPLC fractions. There is a low-cost option available on the Standard, Plus and Elite that allows the routine use of hydrochloric acid and aggressive solvents. By building key elements in Hastelloy®, glass or PTFE, full protection against acid chlorides is achieved. New to the HCl Resistance option is the ability to evaporate concentrated nitric acid. This option must be specified when ordering, as it cannot be retrofitted. All EZ-2 models are resistant to routine use of high concentrations of TFA as standard. An additional option is available to allow safe operation for those wishing to use highly explosive solvents, such as pentane or diethyl ether - the inert gas purge system. This system can also be used to preserve oxygen or moisture sensitive samples under an inert gas blanket until the user returns to the evaporator. The EZ-2 Series can also accommodate a wide selection of sample holders, including round-bottom flasks up to 500ml, tubes up to 160mm long (including Dionex ASE® and Radleys Carousel tubes), custom reaction blocks, and shallow or deep-well microtitre plates. EZ-2 Series Models: The Standard (EZ-2) is suitable for water and volatile solvents The Envi (EZ-2 Envi) is recommended for concentration of volatile solvents The Plus (EZ-2 Plus) is recommended for solvents with boiling points upto 165°C The Elite (EZ-2 Elite) is recommended for solvents with boiling points upto 220°C

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Evaporative Sample Preparation for Mass Spectrometry