The release of the first commercial Atmospheric Pressure Ionization tandem quadrupole MS (API III) system from SCIEX at 1989’s Pittcon in Atlanta opened the door to pioneering work by enabling the quantification of molecules in liquid-phase samples – work previously possible only in the gas phase. LC-MS subsequently adopted a central role in analytics; Tom Covey, Principal Research Scientist at SCIEX, summarized this revolution in episode one of the Generation Quant series as having “cracked the liquid phase/gas phase dilemma.”
Three decades later, key figures in the field returned to Atlanta for ASMS 2019 – some unknowingly retracing the ground where the journey of this vital instrument began, where our ability to perform molecular analyses were forever transformed. From pharmaceutical development to food safety and the wider life sciences, the API III offered solutions to problems that had plagued the field for years. How? By applying an IonSpray source that gave access to both speed and high sensitivity.
“We were suddenly presented with this new combination of software and hardware that exhibited incredible speed – that’s why people adopted it,” says Liz Thomas, cofounder and CEO of Alderley Analytical. “On a larger scale, this meant that researchers were making faster decisions, and the entire industry was moving more quickly as a result.”
SCIEX continues to push the boundaries of quantification to fuel scientific endeavors the world over. The aim: to inform critical customer decisions and make “The Power of Precision” a reality for all. Momentum is building towards this ultimate end goal, with some researchers already harnessing the advanced capabilities of new technology across all applications of MS to improve lives, the environment, and our understanding of science as a whole.
Of course, there is further work to be done, but scientific innovation never stops… And neither do SCIEX. If you’d like to be one of the first to hear about the next big breakthrough from these industry leaders, register your interest here. In the meantime, the technological feats engineered by the company to date – and a sneak preview of future plans – are shared in Generation Quant – an informative but emotionally charged video that highlights SCIEX’s ongoing commitment to the field.
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