The Shimadzu GCMS-TQ8040 is the first Triple Quadrupole with Smart Productivity for high efficiency sample throughput, Smart Operation for quick and easy method development, and Smart Performance for low detection limits and Scan/MRM. It allows simultaneous multicomponent analysis with ultra-high sensitivity and high speed. The instrument enables mass spectrum measurement for qualitative analysis or identification of unknowns and Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) and MRM Measurement for quantitation of trace elements.

The GCMS-TQ8040 is powerful to detect compound from m/z 10 – 1090 with maximum scan rate of 20000 u/sec (Q3 Scan). This GCMS-TQ8040 use GC of model GC-2010 Plus.

The GCMS-TQ8040 use several types of capillary columns than packed columns. Capillaries offer much better efficiency (narrow peaks) which leads to greatly better-quality peak separation.

Furthermore, there are 6 types of capillary columns that GCMS-TQ8040 offer which are:

• BP5MS
The stationary phase is 5% Phenyl Polysilphenylene-siloxane. Minimum temperature is -40°C and maximum temperature is 330/350°C. This column is non polar and has optimized Silphenylene content for general purpose MS analyses. It is perfect for your 5% GC-MS analysis.

• BP1
The stationary phase is 100% Dimethyl Polysiloxane. Minimum temperature is -60°C and maximum temperature is 320/340°C. This column is non polar and is excellent general purpose GC column (low bleed). This column is suitable for analysis of hydrocarbons, aromatics, pesticides, phenol, herbicides and amines.

• BPX70
The stationary phase is 70% Cyanopropyl Polysilphenylene-siloxane. Minimum temperature is 50°C and maximum temperature is 250/260°C. This column is highly polar and custom designed for separation of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAMEs). It is industry standard column for FAME analysis and ideal for cis/trans isomer separation.

• SolGel-Wax
The world's highest temperature wax phase and less susceptible to damage by oxygen than conventional wax phases. The stationary phase is Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) in a Sol-Gel matrix. Minimum temperature is 30°C and maximum temperature is 260/280°C. This column is polar and is high temperature inert column (low bleed). This column is recommended for highly active compounds.

• BP10
The stationary phase is 14% Cyanopropylphenyl Polysiloxane. Minimum temperature is -20°C and maximum temperature is 280/300°C. This column is medium polar, highly inert and low bleed column. This column is ideal for organochlorine pesticides analysis.

• BPX35
The stationary phase is 35% Phenyl Polysilphenylene-siloxane. Minimum temperature is 10°C and maximum temperature is 330/360°C. This column is mid polar and ideal for conformational analysis. This column is suitable for trace analysis of herbicides, aromatic compounds, pharmaceuticals, environmental analyses, and drugs of abuse analyses.

The GCMS-TQ8040 use AOC-5000 GC sample injection system that combines liquid, large volume and headspace injection in one single instrument. This unique capability allows quick switching from one application to another on the same GC workstation. It has several methods of analysis that makes it different and powerful instrument for sample analysis. It has GCMS liquid sample injection, Headspace injection, Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME) and DI Probe.

For GCMS liquid sample injection, it use liquid injection through a self-sealing septum into a heated split or splitless injection port.

For headspace mode of analysis, it permits the detection of volatile substances in a liquid or solid sample and minimizes column contamination. A small volume of the sample is placed in a vial sealed with septum and the sample vial is equilibrated at an appropriate elevated temperature. A sample of the vapor is removed with a syringe and is then injected using one of the previously described techniques. This technique is used extensively in the assay of ethanol and other solvents in blood and biological fluids as no sample preparation required. Since only the volatiles are sampled, headspace analysis is ideal for dirty samples (e.g. blood, plastics, cosmetics), solid materials, samples with high boilers of no interest, samples with high water content, or samples that are difficult to handle by conventional chromatographic methods.

For Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME), it is an equilibrium sampling method and can be used for gases, solids (Headspace) and liquids (direct). SPME is simple, can work with small sample sizes, solvent-free extraction technique that provides high sensitivity and excellent reproducibility. In this technique, a phase-coated fused silica fiber is exposed to the headspace above the liquid or solid sample. Analytes adsorb to the phase and then are thermally desorbed in the injection port of a gas chromatograph and transferred to a capillary column. SPME is suitable for determination of organic volatile impurities in drugs. However, very volatile analytes can sometimes be lost and quantitation is problematic.

For DI probe, it allows a sample to be introduced directly into the ion source without passing through a GC column. It is an effective technique for obtaining mass spectra of synthetic compounds that do not chromatograph well. Components that are thermally degradable or difficult to vaporize are not suited to GC analysis therefore, their mass spectra can be obtained easily using the DI probe.

These are the list of Mass Spectral Libraries and Databases available for GCMS-TQ8040 ;

Database for screening:

• GC/MS Forensic Toxicological Database – Quick Identification of Forensic Toxicology Related Compounds.

The Shimadzu GC/MS Forensic Toxicological Database contains spectra for 502 forensic and toxicology-related compounds, including drugs of abuse, psychotropic drugs and general drugs, pesticides, etc. It is suitable to use for identification and semi-quantitation of illegal drugs like stimulants and narcotics, identification and semi-quantitation of abused drug medicines and chemical substances, detection of drug medicines and chemical substances illegally used in crime, detection and semi-quantitation of drug medicines and pesticides at poisoning incidents and accidents.

• GC/MS Residual Pesticides Database

Quickly screen for residual pesticides in foods.

Databases for quantitative information, method.

• Smart Pesticides Database

This database is registered with approximately 480 components and approximately 2,680 transitions, and eliminates the need to configure complicated analysis conditions.
Furthermore, retention indices are registered for all the components, enabling easy updating of retention times via the AART (Automatic Adjustment of Retention Time) function.
Analysis by the internal standard method is also supported, since information is registered for compounds that can be used as internal standard substances.

• GC/MS Forensic Toxicological Database

Quick Identification of Forensic Toxicology Related Compounds.

Spectral Libraries

• Pesticides Mass Spectral Library

This is a library containing mass spectra for 578 compounds measured using the electron ionization (EI) method and 383 compounds measured using the negative chemical ionization (NCI) method. Highly reliable identification is possible using the mass spectra of the EI and NCI modes together. The library also includes a method for analyzing pesticide residues in food and tap water.

• NIST Mass Spectral Library 2011

This is a library containing general compounds such as PAH, organic pollutants and explosive compounds.

• FFNSC2 (Flavor and Fragrance Natural and Synthetic Compounds) Library

This is a library for 3000 flavor and fragrance compounds. The library contains mass spectra as well as retention indices. The use of retention indices makes it possible to perform effective similarity search even for samples containing isomers and much matrix.