Method for mass spectrometry and mass spectrometer

1 . A method for mass spectrometry, comprising steps of:

defining a plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges by dividing a whole mass-to-charge-ratio range which is a measurement target, in such a manner that neighboring partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges overlap each other at a mass-to-charge ratio of a predetermined reference ion generated from a known compound;

acquiring a set of mass spectrometry data by performing a mass spectrometric analysis of the known compound in each of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges;

determining a normalization coefficient for normalizing measured intensities of ions in each of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges, based on a measured intensity of the reference ion in the mass spectrometry data acquired in each of the neighboring partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges;

acquiring a set of mass spectrometry data by performing a mass spectrometric analysis of a measurement-target sample in each of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges;

normalizing the mass spectrometry data of the measurement-target sample acquired in each of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges, by multiplying the measured intensities of the ions in the mass spectrometry data by the normalization coefficient corresponding to the partial mass-to-charge-ratio range concerned; and

integrating the normalized mass spectrometry data of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges into one set of mass spectrometry data.

2 . The method for mass spectrometry according to claim 1 , wherein either the mass spectrometry data of one of the partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges or average data of the mass spectrometry data of two neighboring partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges is used as the mass spectrometry data corresponding to an overlapping section of the partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges in the step of integrating the normalized mass spectrometry data.

3 . A method for mass spectrometry, comprising steps of:

defining a plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges by dividing a whole mass-to-charge-ratio range which is a measurement target, in such a manner that neighboring partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges overlap each other at a mass-to-charge ratio of a predetermined reference ion generated from a known compound;

acquiring a set of mass spectrometry data by performing a mass spectrometric analysis of a measurement-target sample with the known compound added in each of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges;

normalizing the mass spectrometry data of the measurement-target sample acquired in each of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges, in such a manner that measured intensities of the reference ion in the sets of mass spectrometry data respectively acquired in the neighboring partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges are equalized; and

integrating the normalized mass spectrometry data of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges into one set of mass spectrometry data.

4 . The method for mass spectrometry according to claim 3 , wherein either the mass spectrometry data of one of the partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges or average data of the mass spectrometry data of two neighboring partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges is used as the mass spectrometry data corresponding to an overlapping section of the partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges in the step of integrating the normalized mass spectrometry data.

5 . A mass spectrometer, comprising:

a storage section in which a plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges defined by dividing a whole mass-to-charge-ratio range which is a measurement target and a normalization coefficient in each of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges are stored, where the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges are defined in such a manner that neighboring partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges overlap each other at a mass-to-charge ratio of a predetermined reference ion generated from a known compound, while the normalization coefficient is determined based on a measured intensity of the reference ion in the mass spectrometry data acquired in each of the neighboring partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges;

a measurement executer configured to acquire a set of mass spectrometry data by performing a mass spectrometric analysis of a measurement-target sample in each of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges;

a data normalizer configured to normalize the mass spectrometry data of the measurement-target sample acquired in each of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges, by multiplying measured intensities of ions in the mass spectrometry data by the normalization coefficient corresponding to the partial mass-to-charge-ratio range concerned; and

a data integrator configured to integrate the normalized mass spectrometry data of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges into one set of mass spectrometry data.

6 . The mass spectrometer according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a partial mass-to-charge-ratio range setter configured to define a plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges by dividing a whole mass-to-charge-ratio range which is a measurement target, in such a manner that neighboring partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges overlap each other at the mass-to-charge ratio of a predetermined reference ion generated from a known compound;

a second measurement executer configured to acquire mass spectrometry data by performing a mass spectrometric analysis of the known compound in each of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges; and

a normalization coefficient determiner configured to determine a normalization coefficient for normalizing measured intensities of ions in each of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges, based on a measured intensity of the reference ion in the mass spectrometry data acquired in each of the neighboring partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges, and to save, in the storage section, the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges as well as the normalization coefficient in each of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges.

7 . The mass spectrometer according to claim 5 , further comprising a time-of-flight mass separator configured to cause ions which are measurement targets to fly in a predetermined flight space.

8 . A mass spectrometer, comprising:

a partial mass-to-charge-ratio range setter configured to define a plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges by dividing a whole mass-to-charge-ratio range which is a measurement target, in such a manner that neighboring partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges overlap each other at the mass-to-charge ratio of a predetermined reference ion generated from a known compound;

a measurement executer configured to acquire a set of mass spectrometry data by performing a mass spectrometric analysis of a measurement-target sample with the known compound added in each of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges;

a data normalizer configured to normalize the mass spectrometry data of the measurement-target sample acquired in each of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges, in such a manner that measured intensities of the reference ion in the sets of mass spectrometry data respectively acquired in the neighboring partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges are equalized; and

a data integrator configured to integrate the normalized mass spectrometry data of the plurality of partial mass-to-charge-ratio ranges into one set of mass spectrometry data.

9 . The mass spectrometer according to claim 8 , further comprising a time-of-flight mass separator configured to cause ions which are measurement targets to fly in a predetermined flight space.