Chromatography Forum

Hi,
we have an Agilent VL Ion Trap with ESI ion source.
Now we are planing to buy another source, APCI or APPI.

Please share your opinion about which type of source your recommend.

Our activity regarding LC/MS : drugs from pharmaceuticals, drugs from plasma, compounds from herbals, structural analysis.
Thank You

Hi,
In APCI source you can analyzed not thermal labeled compounds , like to pharmaceutical products (is more better the ESI source). You must form the ions (desolvent and nebulized) in the APCI source.
In APPI was carefully selected because its photon energies are lower than the ionization potentials of common normal phase LC-MS solvents yet are sufficient to ionize most analytes. Photoionization produces mass spectra, which contain virtually no chemical noise. The low energy photons also ensure minimal fragmentation of analytes. Both of these performance characteristic traits are desirable for optimum quantification of pharmaceutical compounds.

Both source are utilities, but the APCI is more versatile.

Cheers

Alejandro