AB SCIEX QTRAP 7500 LC MS/MS - Project summary This application is for funds to purchase the AB SCIEX QTRAP 7500 LC-MS/MS. This mass spectrometer has important performance features that distinguish it from other instruments available on campus and from other instruments available on the market and will enable us to perform high-end experiments for small molecule quantitation. The QTRAP 7500 offers state-of-the-art technology for quantitation, identification, and structural analysis of small molecules. The main features we require include an electrospray ionization source for small sample amounts obtained from dissected tissues, extracellular vesicles or tissue culture; the APCI (Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization) source as an alternative ionization source to optimize MS/MS spectra for certain molecules; an ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (uHPLC) interface for tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), the ability to perform in two operating modes (triple quadrupole and linear trap), and to switch quickly between them, a fast scan rate, the ability to perform quantitative measures of small molecules using selected reaction monitoring (SRM) and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM), and the ability to identify and quantify bioactive lipids. The QTRAP 7500 excels in each of these areas and is the instrument chosen. We will be able to solve challenging analytical problems and identify and quantify small molecules, such as lipids, hormones and environmental contaminants and their metabolites related to disease. Most of the users of the instrument are already collaborating in projects, thus this will help solidify their scientific interactions. Twelve investigators with major research projects, eleven with NIH RO1 support and one with NIOSH support, and six investigators for five minor research projects require the sensitivity and high throughput ability of the QTRAP 7500 mass spectrometer to answer important questions. We have developed preliminary data for many of the projects. Of the major projects, three involve analysis of environmental contaminants, pesticides, or opioids in small tissue samples (Vulpe, Denslow and Bolser), eight involve analysis of bioactive lipids (Baker, Alli, Vulpe, Denslow, Swale, Vite, Moore, and Wise) and four require analysis of hormones (Baker, Reznikov, Yue and Jones). The minor users fall within these same general methods but also require analysis of PFAS in fish or of harmful algal bloom toxins in cells in tissue culture. Many of the projects, but in particular the projects requiring lipidomics analyses, will require multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Both Electrospray (ESI) and Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization (APCI) will be required for the projects. These projects will result in better understanding of fundamental processes that lead to the potential treatment of diseases in humans.
