GC/MS or LC/MS ?

[kurtdm]

Hello,

In our lab we are analyzing biocides (purity of batches, formulations, leachates, matrix residues, ...). Therefore, we are using mainly HPLC and now and then GC.
We are considering to invest in MS, but what should we take into account upon deciding between GC/MS or LC/MS? Is one of these two more recommanded for our type of analysis, and why?

Thanks a lot for your advice!

Best regards,
Kurt

[Ary]

This is a link to a great article on how to best evaluate any new purchase. The article is on page 10.
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanst ... olumn0106/

My guess is if most of your work is LC you'll want to go for LC-MS but really it just depends what you want to achieve by switching to MS detection? Talking to the manufacturers will help but they will all want to sell you their particular product. Some MS systems (especially older ones) will allow switching between LC and GC inlets this normally takes some time but if its only occasionally it may suit your purposes.

[richa_malhotra]

in my opinion you should go for lc-ms rather than gc-ms as your main work looks on hplc. it means mostly you are working on non-volatile compounds. it is very difficult to analyze non-volatile compounds in gc-ms as you have derivetize them which is a cumbersome prior to ms analysis.

also you have decide whether to use only lc-ms or lc-ms/ms ?. this is because you need to decide whether you want to do qualitative / quantitative work.

over all my suggestion to you to go for lc-ms/ms.