This application note compares the resolution capabilities between time-of-flight high resolution mass spectrometery (Tof HRMS) and Orbitrap MS, demonstrating that slow MS scan rates can lead to insufficient data points to define a chromatographic peak. This results in the loss of peak resolution, which can lead to false negatives (missed peaks) in metabolite identification studies and also to significant compromises with quantitative (or semi-quantitative) assessment of major metabolites.

We demonstrate:

• Fast MS scanning speed and high resolution are equally important in acquiring excellent HRMS qualitative information for metabolite identification.
• Fast MS scanning speeds for full-scan HRMS are required to derive meaningful quantitative integrations and definition of closely eluting peaks.
• Slower MS scan speeds lead to loss of LC resolution, which can result in false negatives (missed identifications) in metabolite ID.
• UPLC coupled with a CORTECS UPLC Column enables the separation of closely eluting isomeric metabolites under generic rapid LC conditions.
• The high resolution and fast scanning capabilities of QTof platforms take full advantage of the high resolution and peak capacity afforded by UltraPerformance LC (UPLC).