Agilent 7250 GC/Q-TOF system

Importance of the topic

Comprehensive profiling and quantification of complex samples are essential across environmental, food, chemical, and life science applications. High-resolution accurate-mass GC/Q-TOF analysis enables confident target identification, broad suspect screening, and discovery of unknowns in challenging matrices.

Study Objectives and Overview

This summary highlights the Agilent 7250 GC/Q-TOF system paired with MassHunter and complementary software tools. It reviews routine screening workflows, complex quantification in diverse matrices, structural elucidation via MS/MS, untargeted metabolomics, and soft ionization techniques designed to address evolving analytical challenges.

Methods and Instrumentation

Key methodologies include high-resolution time-of-flight mass analysis, electron ionization at conventional and reduced energies, positive and negative chemical ionization (PCI, NCI), and MS/MS product-ion acquisition at up to 50 Hz. Software modules cover MassHunter Qualitative Analysis, SureMass deconvolution, Unknowns Analysis with ExactMass, Molecular Structure Correlator, Mass Profiler Professional with Pathway Architect, MassHunter Classifier, and Agilent ChemVista. Curated Personal Compound Databases and Libraries (PCDLs) support pesticides, PFAS, metabolites, and environmental contaminants. The platform is GC×GC-ready and backed by a ten-year value promise.

Main Results and Discussion

True-to-library electron-impact spectra allowed reliable identification of compounds such as α-pinene with high library match scores. Isotopic fidelity remained within 0.2 mDa even for trace-level M+ peaks of dodecane. High resolution separated thiamethoxam from background in avocado at 5 ppb, meeting EU SANTE guidelines. The system delivered over four orders of magnitude dynamic range, detecting phosphorylethanolamine in mouse lung extract amid coeluting signals. Calibration of fonofos in avocado between 0.5–1000 ppb yielded R² > 0.999. Low-energy EI and interchangeable CI sources enhanced molecular-ion visibility without sacrificing sensitivity. MS/MS data processed with Molecular Structure Correlator generated robust structural proposals.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• High-confidence pesticide screening and suspect identification in diverse food and environmental matrices with minimal false positives.
• Simultaneous targeted, suspect, and nontarget workflows in a single acquisition.
• Rapid food fraud detection and sample classification using multivariate models and PCA visualization.
• Comprehensive metabolomics with pathway-centric mapping to support systems biology studies.
• Robust GC×GC compatibility for complex mixture separation and long-term instrument reliability.

Future Trends and Opportunities

High-resolution GC/Q-TOF will expand into broader exposome profiling, advanced screening of emerging contaminants, integration with orthogonal separations, and AI-driven data mining. Continued development of spectral libraries and machine-learning deconvolution will accelerate unknown identification and decision-making.

Conclusion

The Agilent 7250 GC/Q-TOF system, coupled with a comprehensive software ecosystem, delivers sensitive, accurate, and flexible analytical solutions. It meets complex identification, quantification, and discovery requirements across disciplines, ensuring reliable data and streamlined workflows for current and future challenges.

Used Instrumentation

• Agilent 7250 GC/Q-TOF system
• Electron ionization source (70 eV and low-energy EI)
• Chemical ionization sources (PCI and NCI)
• MassHunter Qualitative Analysis, SureMass deconvolution, Unknowns Analysis
• Molecular Structure Correlator
• Mass Profiler Professional with Pathway Architect
• MassHunter Classifier
• Agilent ChemVista with curated PCDLs