06/28/2010
DOE Mass Spectrometry on Cover of Chemical & Engineering News
Summary
Mass spectrometry is a critical technique for analysis of complex biological systems. The technique is essential for DOE’s research into biofuel production and plays an important role in studying such diverse areas as low dose radiation biology, environmental contamination, and microbial capture of carbon dioxide. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has carried out much pioneering research in mass spectrometry and its application in systems biology. The June 21, 2010 issue of Chemical & Engineering News includes new developments at PNNL in its cover story on high resolution mass spectrometry. The cover photo shows Yehia Ibrahim at a high performance time-of-flight mass spectrometer in PNNL’s Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL). Comments by PNNL scientist Richard D. Smith on the impact of the new technologies, being developed in part with American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding through EMSL, are included in the story. The article also mentions the collaboration between the EMSL and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University under a separate effort to develop the newest generation of mass spectrometric instruments.
References
Celia Henry Arnaud, “High-Res Mass Spec: Mass spectrometry users have more choices for high resolving power, from conventional ion cyclotron resonance to newer time of flight”, Chemical & Engineering News, June 21, 2010, pages 10–15.