New CAMAG TLC–MS Interface

The new CAMAG TLC–MS Interface is a versatile instrument to extract compounds from a TLC/HPTLC plate and feed them into a mass spectrometer for substance identification or structure elucidation. The device can be connected to any brand of LC-coupled mass spectrometer.

Surveys have shown that not all samples may be processed by HPLC–MS or HPLC–DAD systems due to no or low detection of the compounds or impurities in the UV range, a heavy matrix load or a lack of MS compatible solvents, however necessary for the HPLC separation. On the other hand HPTLC is a very fast and convenient method to separate samples. In the past unknown substances were scraped off from the TLC/HPTLC plate, eluted into a tube and transferred into the MS. Now a very convenient and universal TLC–MS Interface is available which can semi-automatically extract zones of interest and direct them online into any brand of HPLC–MS system.

The semi-automatic TLC–MS Interface is quickly and easily connected (by tow fittings) to any LC-coupled MS without adjustments or mass spectrometer modifications. Questioned substances are directly extracted from a TLC/HPTLC plate and sensitive MS signals are obtained within a minute per substance zone. No scraping off from the plate is required anymore. The interface extracts the complete substance zone with its depth profile and thus allows detections comparable to HPLC down to the pg/zone range.

Contact:CAMAG (Switzerland), CH-4132 Muttenz, www.camag.com/tlc-ms, [email protected]