Apparatus and method for elemental analysis of particles by mass spectrometry
View Patent ↗An apparatus for elemental analysis of particles such as single cells or single beads by mass spectrometry is described. The apparatus includes means for particle introduction; means to vaporize, atomize and ionize elements associated with a particle; means to separate the ions according to their mass-to-charge ratio; means to detect the separated ions, means to digitize the output of the means to detect the ions; means to transfer and/or to process and/or record the data output of the means to digitize, having means to detect the presence of a particle in a mass spectrometer; and means to synchronize one of the means for ion detection, data digitization, transfer, processing and recording with the means to detect the presence of a particle. Methods and computer readable code implementing aspects of the apparatus, and for reducing the rates of data generation, digitization, transfer, processing and recording are also described.
1. A mass spectrometer for elemental analysis of a particle, the mass spectrometer comprising:
a particle introduction system;
an inductively-coupled plasma source positioned downstream of the particle introduction system, the inductively-coupled plasma source being configured to produce ions and light emission from staining elements associated with the particle;
an ion mass-to-charge ratio analyzer positioned downstream of the inductively-coupled plasma source, the analyzer being configured to separate ions according to their mass-to-charge ratio;
a main ion detector for detecting the separated ions and producing data output;
a digitizer for digitizing the output;
a data transfer channel for transferring the digitized data output;
at least one of a data processor and a data recorder to receive the digitized data output;
a particle presence detector in the mass spectrometer having an activation corresponding with the detection of the light emission of a particle to be analyzed in the mass spectrometer; and
a synchronizer having an activation input from the particle presence detector and that synchronizes with a command output to at least one of the main ion detector, the digitizer, the data transfer channel, the data processor and the data recorder; wherein the particle presence detector in the mass spectrometer triggers the synchronizer.
2. The mass spectrometer according to claim 1 , wherein the particle presence detector is positioned downstream of the inductively-coupled plasma source in the mass spectrometer.
3. The mass spectrometer according to claim 1 , wherein the particle presence detector in the mass spectrometer comprises a photon detector.
4. A mass spectrometer for elemental analysis of a particle, comprising:
a particle introduction system;
an inductively-coupled plasma source positioned downstream of the particle introduction system, the inductively-coupled plasma source being configured to produce ions and changes in light emission characteristics of the plasma from staining elements associated with the particle;
an ion mass-to-charge ratio analyzer positioned downstream of the inductively-coupled plasma source, the analyzer being configured to separate ions according to their mass-to-charge ratio;
a main ion detector for detecting the separated ions and producing data output;
a digitizer for digitizing the output;
a data transfer channel for transferring the digitized data output;
at least one of a data processor and a data recorder to receive the digitized data output; and
a photon detector having an activation corresponding with the detection of the changes in light emission characteristics of the plasma of a particle to be analyzed in the mass spectrometer.
5. The mass spectrometer according to claim 4 , further comprising a synchronizer having an activation input from the photon detector and that synchronizes with a command output to at least one of the main ion detector, the digitizer, the data transfer channel, the data processor and the data recorder; wherein the detection of the changes in light emission characteristics of the plasma triggers the synchronizer.
6. The mass spectrometer according to claim 4 , wherein the photon detector is positioned downstream of the inductively-coupled plasma source.