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Differential ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) had emerged in the 2000s as a novel tool for postionization separations in conjunction with mass spectrometry (MS). High-definition FAIMS introduced a decade ago has enabled resolution of peptide, lipid, and other molecular isomers with minute structural variations and recently the isotopic shift analyses where the spectral pattern for stable isotopes fingerprints the ion geometry. Those studies, including all isotopic shift analyses, were in the positive mode. Here, we achieve the same high resolution for anions exemplified by phthalic acid isomers. The resolving power and magnitude of isotopic shifts are in line with the metrics for analogous haloaniline cations, establishing high-definition negative-mode FAIMS with structurally specific isotopic shifts. Different shifts (including the new 18O) remain additive and mutually orthogonal, demonstrating the generality of those properties across the elements and charge states. Expanding to common (not halogenated) organic compounds is a key step toward the broad use of FAIMS isotopic shift methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many proteins and proteolytic peptides incorporate the same post-translational modification (PTM) at different sites, creating multiple localization variants with different functions or activities that may coexist in cells. Current analytical methods based on liquid chromatography (LC) followed by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) are challenged by such isomers that often coelute in LC and/ or produce nonunique fragment ions. The application of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) was explored, but success has been limited by insufficient resolution. We show that high-resolution differential ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) employing helium-rich gases can readily separate phosphopeptides with variant modification sites. Use of He/[N.sub.2] mixtures containing up to 74% He has allowed separating to >95% three monophosphorylated peptides of identical sequence. Similar separation was achieved at 50% He, using an elevated electric field. Bisphosphorylated isomers that differ in only one modification site were separated to the same extent. We anticipate FAIMS capabilities for such separations to extend to other PTMs. 10.1021/ac101878a

Distinguishing and separating isotopic molecular variants is important across many scientific fields. However, discerning such variants, especially those producing no net mass difference, has been challenging. For example, single-stage mass spectrometry is broadly employed to analyze isotopes but is blind to isotopic isomers (isotopomers) and, except at very high resolution, species of the same nominal mass (isobars). Here, we report separation of isotopic ions, including isotopomers and isobars, using ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), specifically, the field asymmetric waveform IMS (FAIMS). The effect is not based on the different reduced masses of ion--gas molecule pairs previously theorized to cause isotopic separations in conventional IMS, but appears related to the details of energetic ion-molecule collisions in strong electric fields. The observed separation qualitatively depends on the gas composition and may be improved using gas mixtures. Isotopic shifts depend on the position of the labeled site, which allows its localization and contains information about the ion geometry, potentially enabling a new approach to molecular structure characterization. 10.1021/ac101992d

The ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) methods are grouped into conventional IMS, based on the absolute ion mobility, and differential or field asymmetric waveform IMS (FAIMS), based on mobility differences between strong and weak electric fields. A key attraction of FAIMS is substantial orthogonality to mass spectrometry (MS). Although several FAIMS/MS platforms were commercialized, their utility was limited by FAIMS resolving power, typically ~10-20. Recently, gas mixtures comprising up to 75% He have enabled resolving power >100 that permits separation of numerous heretofore 'coeluting' isomers. This performance opens major new proteomic and other biological applications. Here, we show that raising the separation field by ~35% over the previous 21 kV/cm provides similar or better resolution (with resolving powers of >200 for multiply charged peptides) using only 50% He, which avoids problems due to elevated pressure and He content in the mass spectrometer. The heating of ions by the separation field in this regime exceeds that at higher He content but weaker field, inducing greater izomerization of labile species. 10.1021/ac101413k

Analyses of complex mixtures and characterization of ions increasingly involve gas-phase separations by ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) and particularly differential or field asymmetric waveform IMS (FAIMS) based on the difference of ion mobility in strong and weak electric fields. The key advantage of FAIMS is substantial orthngonality to mass spectrometry (MS), which makes FAIMS/MS hybrid a powerful analytical platform of broad utility. However, the potential of FAIMS has been constrained by limited resolution. Here, we report that the use of gas mixtures comprising up to 75% He dramatically increases the FAIMS separation capability, with the resolving power for peptides and peak capacity for protein digests reaching and exceeding 100. The resolution gains extend to small molecules, where previously unresolved isomers can now be separated. These performance levels open major new applications of FAIMS in proteomic and other biomolecular analyses. 10.1021/ac902852a

Differential ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) or field asymmetric waveform IMS (FAIMS) separates gas-phase ions by mobility differences with respect to the electric field intensity. A major emerging FAIMS application is the fractionation of proteolytic digests. Using a planar FAIMS unit with helium/nitrogen mixtures, we have increased FAIMS resolving powers for peptide analyses from the prior maximum of ~20-30 to ~50-70. The resolution improved nearly 3-fold, allowing, in particular, separation of previously unresolved conformers. 10.1021/ac902133n

Microchip-based field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) analyzers featuring a grid of 35 [micro]m-wide channels have allowed electric field intensity (E) over 60 kV/cm, or about twice that in previous devices with >0.5 mm gaps. Since the separation speed scales as E4 to [E.sup.6], these chips filter ions in just ~20 [micro]s (or ~100-10 000 times faster than 'macroscopic' designs), although with reduced resolution. Here we report integration of these chips into electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry, with ESI coupled to FAIMS via a curtain plate/orifice interface with edgewise ion injection into the gap. Adjusting gas flows in the system permits control of ion residence time in FAIMS, which affects resolving power independently of ion desolvation after the ESI source. The results agree with a priori simulations and scaling rules. Applications illustrated include analyses of amino acids and peptides. Because of limited resolving power, the present FAIMS units are more suitable for distinguishing compound classes than individual species. In particular, peptides separate from many other classes, including PEGs that are commonly encountered in proteomic analyses. In practical analyses with realistic time constraints, the effective separation power of present FAIMS may approach that of 'macroscopic' systems.

The maximum electric field intensity (E) in field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) analyses was doubled to E > 60 kV/cm. In earlier devices with >0.5 mm gaps, such strong fields cause electrical breakdown for nearly all gases at ambient pressure. As the Paschen curves are sublinear, thinner gaps permit higher E: here, we established 61 kV/cm in [N.sub.2] using microchips with 35 [micro]m gaps. As FAIMS efficiency is exceptionally sensitive to E, such values can in theory accelerate analyses at equal resolution by over an order of magnitude. Here we demonstrate FAIMS filtering in ~20 [micro]s or ~1% of the previously needed time, with a resolving power of about half that for 'macroscopic' units but sufficing for many applications. Microscopic gaps enable concurrent ion processing in multiple (here, 47) channels, which greatly relaxes the charge capacity constraints of planar FAIMS designs. These chips were integrated with a [beta]-radiation ion source and charge detector. The separation performance is in line with first-principles modeling that accounts for high-field and anisotropic ion diffusion. By extending FAIMS operation into the previously inaccessible field range, the present instrument advances the capabilities for research into ion transport and expands options for separation of hard-to-resolve species.

Traveling wave ion mobility spectrometry (TW IMS) is a new IMS method implemented in the Synapt IMS/mass spectrometry system (Waters). Despite its wide adoption, the foundations of TW IMS were only qualitatively understood and factors governing the ion transit time (the separation parameter) and resolution remained murky. Here we develop the theory of TW IMS using derivations and ion dynamics simulations. The key parameter is the ratio (c) of ion drift velocity at the steepest wave slope to wave speed. At low c, the ion transit velocity is proportional to the squares of mobility (K) and electric field intensity (E), as opposed to linear scaling in drift tube (DT) IMS and differential mobility analyzers. At higher c, the scaling deviates from quadratic in a way controlled by the waveform profile, becoming more gradual with the ideal triangular profile but first steeper and then more gradual for realistic profiles with variable E. At highest c, the transit velocity asymptotically approaches the wave speed. Unlike with DT IMS, the resolving power of TW IMS depends on mobility, scaling as [K.sup.1/2] in the low-c limit and less at higher c. A nonlinear dependence of the transit time on mobility means that the true resolving power of TW IMS differs from that indicated by the spectrum. A near-optimum resolution is achievable over an ~300-400% range of mobilities. The major predicted trends are in agreement with TW IMS measurements for peptide ions as a function of mobility, wave amplitude, and gas pressure. The issues of proper TW IMS calibration and ion distortion by field heating are also discussed. The new quantitative understanding of TW IMS separations allows rational optimization of instrument design and operation and improved spectral calibration.

Field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) has emerged as an analytical tool of broad utility, especially in conjunction with mass spectrometry. Of particular promise is the use of FAIMS and 2-D ion mobility methods that combine FAIMS with conventional IMS to resolve and characterize protein and other macromolecular conformers. However, FAIMS operation requires a strong electric field, and ions are inevitably heated by energetic collisions with buffer gas molecules. This may induce ion isomerization or dissociation, which distort the separation properties of FAIMS (and subsequent stages) or reduce instrumental sensitivity. As FAIMS employs a periodic waveform, whether those processes are controlled by ion temperature at maximum or average field intensity has been debated. Here we address this issue by measuring the unfolding of compact ubiquitin ion geometries as a function of waveform amplitude (dispersion field, [E.sub.D]) and gas temperature, T. The field heating is quantified by matching the dependences of structural transitions on [E.sub.D] and T: increasing [E.sub.D] from 12 to 16 or from 16 to 20 kV/cm is equivalent to heating the ([N.sub.2]) gas by ~15-25 [degrees]C. The magnitude of field heating for any [E.sub.D] can be estimated using the two-temperature theory, and raising [E.sub.D] by 4 kV/cm augments heating by ~15-30[degrees]C for maximum and ~4-8[degrees]C for average field in the FAIMS cycle. Hence, isomerization of ions in FAIMS appears to be determined by the excitation at waveform peaks.

Field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FMMS) is emerging as a major analytical tool, especially in conjunction with mass spectrometry (MS), conventional ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), or both. In particular, FAIMS is used to separate protein or peptide conformers prior to characterization by IMS, MS/MS, or H/D exchange. High electric fields in FMMS induce ion heating, previously estimated at < 10 [degrees]C on average and believed too weak to affect ion geometries. Here we use a FAIMS/ IMS/MS system to compare the IMS spectra for ESI-generated ubiquitin ions that have and have not passed FAIMS and find that some unfolding occurs for most charge states. These data and their comparison with the reported protein unfolding in a Paul trap imply that at least some structural transitions observed in FAIMS, or previously in an ion trap, are not spontaneous. The observed unfolding is similar to that produced by heating of ~50[degrees]C above room temperature, consistent with the calculated heating of ions at FAIMS waveform peaks. Hence, the ion isomerization in FAIMS likely proceeds in steps during the 'hot' periods, especially right after entering the device. The process distorts ion geometries and causes ion losses by a 'self-cleaning' mechanism and thus should be suppressed as much as possible. We propose achieving that via cooling FAIMS by the amount of ion heating; in most cases, cooling by ~75[degrees]C should suffice.

Field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) has emerged as a powerful tool of broad utility for separation and characterization of gas-phase ions, especially in conjunction with mass spectrometry (MS). In FAIMS, ions are filtered by the dependence of mobility on electric field while being carried by gas flow through the analytical gap between two electrodes of either planar (p-) or cylindrical (c-) geometry. Most FAIMS/MS systems employ c-FAIMS because of its ease of coupling to MS, yet the merits of the two geometries have not been compared in detail. Here, a priori simulations reveal that reducing the FAIMS curvature always improves resolution at equal sensitivity. In particular, the resolving power of p-FAIMS exceeds that of c-FAIMS, typically by a factor of 2-4 depending on the ion species and carrier gas. We have constructed a new planar FAIMS incorporating a curtain plate interface for effective operation with an ESI ion source and joined to an MS using an ion funnel interface with a novel slit aperture. The resolution increases up to 4-fold over existing c-FAIMS, even though the analysis is ~2 times faster. This allows separation of species not feasible in previous FAIMS studies, e.g., protonated leucine and isoleucine or new bradykinin isomers. The improvement for protein conformers (of ubiquitin) is less significant, possibly because of multiple unresolved geometries.

Understanding the 3-D structure and dynamics of proteins and other biological macromolecules in various environments is among the central challenges of chemistry. Electrospray ionization can often transfer ions from solution to gas phase with only limited structural distortion, allowing their profiling using mass spectrometry and other gas-phase approaches. Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) can separate and characterize macroion conformations with high sensitivity and speed. However, IMS separation power is generally insufficient for full resolution of major structural variants of protein ions and elucidation of their interconversion dynamics. Here we report characterization of macromolecular conformations using field asymmetric waveform IMS (FAIMS) coupled to conventional IMS in conjunction with mass spectrometry. The collisional heating of ions in the electrodynamic funnel trap between FAIMS and IMS stages enables investigating the structural evolution of particular isomeric precursors as a function of the intensity and duration of activation that can be varied over large ranges. These new capabilities are demonstrated for ubiquitin and cytochrome c, two common model proteins for structure and folding studies. For nearly all charge states, two-dimensional FAIMS/IMS separations distinguish many more conformations than either FAIMS or IMS alone, including some with very low abundance. For cytochrome c in high charge states, we find several abundant 'unfolded' isomer series not distinguishable by IMS, possibly corresponding to different 'string of beads' geometries. The unfolding of specific ubiquitin conformers selected by FAIMS has been studied by employing their heating in the FAIMS/ IMS interface.

Field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) (FAIMS) measures the difference between ion mobilities at high and low electric fields, while coupling IMS and FAIMS to soft ionization sources and mass spectrometry greatly expand their utility. It is shown that time-dependent electric fields comprising more than two intensity levels, similar to FAIMS, could effect an infinite number of distinct differential separations based on the higher-order terms of expression for ion mobility.

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) has been explored for decades, and its versatility in separation and identification of gas-phase ions is well established. Recently, field asymmetric waveform IMS (FAIMS) has been gaining acceptance in similar applications. Coupled to mass spectrometry (MS), both IMS and FAIMS have shown the potential for broad utility in proteomics and other biological analyses. A major attraction of these separations is extremely high speed, exceeding that of condensed-phase alternatives by orders of magnitude. However, modest separation peak capacities have limited the utility of FAIMS and IMS for analyses of complex mixtures. We report 2-D gas-phase separations that join FAIMS to IMS, in conjunction with high-resolution and accuracy time-of-light (TOF) MS. Implementation of FMMS/IMS and IMS/ MS interfaces using electrodynamic ion funnels greatly improves sensitivity. Evaluation of FAIMS/IMS/TOF performance for a protein mixture tryptic digest reveals high orthogonality between FAIMS and IMS dimensions and, hence, the benefit of FMMS filtering prior to IMS/MS. The effective peak capacities in analyses of tryptic peptides are ~500 for FAIMS/IMS separations and ~[10.sup.6] for 3-D FAIMS/IMS/MS, providing a potential platform for ultrahigh-throughput analyses of complex mixtures.

The utility of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) for separation of mixtures and structural characterization of ions has been demonstrated extensively, including in biological and nanoscience contexts. A major attraction of IMS is its speed, several orders of magnitude greater than that of condensed-phase separations. Nonetheless, IMS combined with mass spectrometry (MS) has remained a niche technique, substantially because of limited sensitivity resulting from ion losses at the IMS-MS junction. We have developed a new electrospray ionization (ESI)-IMS-QTOF MS instrument that incorporates electrodynamic ion funnels at both front ESI-IMS and rear IMS-QTOF interfaces. The front funnel is of the novel 'hourglass' design that efficiently accumulates ions and pulses them into the IMS drift tube. Even for drift tubes of 2-m length, ion transmission through IMS and on to QTOF is essentially lossless across the range of ion masses relevant to most applications. The rf ion focusing at the IMS terminus does not degrade IMS resolving power, which exceeds 100 (for singly charged ions) and is close to the theoretical limit. The overall sensitivity of the present ESI-IMS-MS system is comparable to that of commercial ESI-MS, which should make IMS-MS suitable for analyses of complex mixtures with ultrahigh sensitivity and exceptional throughput.

Field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) has significant potential for post-ionization separations in conjunction with MS analyses. FAIMS fractionates ion mixtures by exploiting the fact that ion mobilities in gases depend on the electric field in a manner specific to each ion. Nearly all previous work has used pure gases, for which FAIMS fundamentals are understood reasonably well; however, unexpected phenomena observed in some gas mixtures (e.g., [N.sub.2]/C[O.sub.2]) but not in others ([N.sub.2]/[O.sub.2]) remain unexplained. Here, we introduce and experimentally test a universal model for FAIMS separations in mixtures, derived from formalisms that determine high-field mobilities in heteromolecular gases. Overall, the theoretical findings are consistent with data for [N.sub.2]/C[O.sub.2] (although quantitative discrepancies remain), while results for [N.sub.2]/[O.sub.2] fit Blanc's law, in agreement with measurements. Calculations for He/[N.sub.2] and He/C[O.sub.2] are also consistent with observations and suggest why adding He to the working gas generally enhances FAIMS performance. As predicted, mixtures of gases with extremely disparate molecular masses and collision cross sections, such as He/S[F.sub.6], exhibit spectacular non-Blanc effects, which greatly improve the resolution and peak capacity of technique. Understanding FAIMS operation in gas mixtures is expected to enable the rational design of media for both targeted and global analyses.

The formation of DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) complexes for a number of triply charged ions of the metals, including both transition metals (V, Cr, Fe) and those of the main group (A1, Ga, In, Bi) is reported. Fragmentation of M(super 3+) (DMSO)(sub n) for these metals (plus La, Yb, and Sc) is characterized in detail using collision-induced dissociation (CID).