ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometer

• Subject Area: Biological Chemistry and Food Chemistry
• Term: Funded in 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 461087410

The requested mass spectrometer will particularly be used for the quantitation of bioactive food ingredients, whose presence can either be desired (e.g., aroma- and taste-active compounds) or undesired (e.g., processing contaminants with toxicological relevance – „food-borne toxicants“). Besides, the analysis of toxicologically relevant residues and contaminants (e.g., pesticides, tropane and pyrrolizidine alkaloids, mycotoxins) will be performed with the new instrument (Department of Food Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry 170a, Institute of Food Chemistry). Mainly triple quadrupole (QqQ) or QTRAP mass spectrometer are suitable for quantitation experiments due to the possibility to analyze the analytes and the corresponding stable isotopically labeled internal standards very selectively and sensitively via selected reaction monitoring (SRM) or multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). In comparison to other detector types, pairs of precursor and product ions can be analyzed in a single SRM experiment, which is specific for the respective analyte and standard, respectively. The instrument in the chosen specification enables application in ultra-trace amounts, which is of high importance for toxicologically relevant compounds in foods (especially in food for infants and children). Additionally, the applied instrument offers the ion mobility option, enabling the analysis of isobaric molecules.The intended working hours for the topic lipids and polyhalogenated compounds as well as the analysis of vitamins including studies on bioavailability and metabolism performed by the co-applicants Prof. Vetter (Department of Food Chemistry 170b, Institute of Food Chemistry) and Prof. Frank (Department of Food Biofunctionality 140b, Institute of Nutritional Sciences) ideally complement the use of the instrument.Finally, the requested instrument is a high-class and very flexible system enabling scientific research and subsequently answers on a broad analytical basis both for the research interests of the main applicant and both co-applicants at the University of Hohenheim and will have a huge impact on the continuous extension of national and international scientific success.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Ultra-Hochleistungsflüssigkeitschromatographie–Triple-Quadrupol-Massenspektrometer
• Instrumentation Group: 1700 Massenspektrometer
• Applicant Institution: Universität Hohenheim
• Leader: Professor Dr. Michael Granvogl (†)