May 30, 2008 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) has launched the Thermo Scientific Exactive, a new benchtop LC-MS system designed for compound screening and identification applications. Exactive leverages proven mass analyzer technology from the LTQ Orbitrap platform, "the recognized standard for accurate mass and high resolution measurement," to provide precise and confident information. It promises to be fast, easy-to-use and cost effective to operate, making it suitable for non-experts in routine analytical laboratories.
"Orbitrap technology has been an important driver of LC-MS growth in the world of biology," noted Ian Jardine, vice president of global research and development at Thermo Fisher Scientific. "We asked ourselves what we could do to fully realize the potential of this technology, to make it even more accessible to users with routine toxicology, environmental and drug development workflows. The result is an instrument that we consider a real breakthrough, that can be applied to a great number of challenging new applications."
The Thermo Scientific Exactive LC-MS streamlines many of the technical steps that normally require specialized set up and operation. An intuitive software interface promises to make the system easy-to-use in both expert and "walk-up" mode, while ensuring precise mass identification of target compounds over a wide concentration range.
In addition Exactive offers resolutions of up to 100,000. When combined with excellent single scan mass accuracy in positive and negative modes, Exactive becomes an ideal system for common screening and high-throughput applications. "Mass accuracy plays a critical role in reducing analysis times and increasing confidence even in routine measurements," notes Dr. Jardine. "Co-eluting compounds in complex matrices can be screened and confirmed in a single experiment simply by reanalyzing data at a higher resolution. For screening of isobaric compounds such as pesticides that differ by only a few milli-mass units, this accurate mass capability will be of enormous value."
