Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Exploris GC 240 Mass Spectrometer - PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Importance of the Topic

The Orbitrap Exploris GC 240 mass spectrometer represents a major advance in gas chromatography mass spectrometry, combining quadrupole filtering with high field Orbitrap detection.
This hybrid instrument addresses the growing demands in metabolomics, environmental analysis, food safety, and discovery profiling by offering exceptional sensitivity, resolution, and mass accuracy.
By simplifying complex screening and enabling reliable trace quantitation, it has become a cornerstone tool for modern analytical laboratories.

Objectives and Overview

This document presents the design features, analytical capabilities, and performance benchmarks of the Orbitrap Exploris GC 240.
The main goals are to demonstrate how its innovative hardware and software modules support both qualitative compound identification and precise quantitative workflows.
Key focus areas include resolving power, dynamic range, flexible ion source operation, and integration with chemometric software.

Methodology

The system integrates electron ionization (EI) and chemical ionization (CI) sources in positive and negative modes.
A segmented quadrupole mass filter selects precursor ions across m/z 30 to 3,000, while an ion-routing multipole and C-trap enable higher-energy collisional dissociation.
Automated gain control regulates ion populations, and both external and internal calibration maintain mass accuracy within 1 to 3 ppm over 24 hours.
Full scan and targeted scan modes (tSIM, SIM, ddMS2) provide scan rates up to 40 Hz at lower resolution and up to 240,000 resolving power at m/z 200.

Instrumentation Used

• ExtractaBrite electron ionization and chemical ionization source with vacuum interlock and dual filaments
• Advanced Active Beam Guide to minimize background noise
• Segmented quadrupole mass filter offering isolation widths from 0.4 to 1,200 Da
• Ion-Routing Multipole for robust collisional activation with nitrogen gas
• High-Field Orbitrap mass analyzer featuring a 4 kV central electrode and low-noise preamplifier
• Compact five-stage vacuum system with single turbo pump
• Optional Direct-Exposure and Direct-Insertion sample probes for temperatures up to 1600 °C and 450 °C, respectively

Key Results and Discussion

The Exploris GC 240 achieves sub-ppm mass accuracy, resolving power above 240,000, and a dynamic range exceeding 10^6, ensuring confident identification and quantitation of trace analytes.
Sensitivity tests demonstrate detection limits in the low femtogram range for reference compounds.
High scan rates and rapid polarity switching facilitate workflows from targeted screening to non-targeted metabolomics, with stable performance over extended runs thanks to advanced vacuum design and automatic calibration routines.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Ultra-high resolution and accuracy enable differentiation of isobaric species
• Wide dynamic range supports simultaneous quantitation of trace and major components
• Seamless software integration with Compound Discoverer and TraceFinder accelerates data processing
• Vent-free column and ion source exchange reduce downtime and carryover
• Versatile scan modes adapt to environmental monitoring, food safety testing, and biomarker discovery

Future Trends and Opportunities

With expanding multi-omics and high-throughput demands, coupling this platform with advanced chemometric algorithms and artificial intelligence will drive automated compound annotation.
Integration with extensive spectral libraries and cloud-based data sharing will enhance collaborative research and reproducibility.
Emerging ionization techniques and enhanced ion trapping strategies promise further gains in sensitivity and selectivity, broadening applications in forensics, clinical diagnostics, and industrial quality control.

Conclusion

The Orbitrap Exploris GC 240 sets a new benchmark in GC-MS analysis by combining quadrupole selectivity with high-field Orbitrap performance.
Its robust hardware, versatile ionization capabilities, and powerful software ecosystem meet the full spectrum of analytical challenges, empowering laboratories to achieve deeper insights, higher throughput, and greater confidence in their results.