The Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology and the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology have completed the development of a novel mass spectrometer for scientific research and other applications that require highly precise substance identification, as in the chemical industry.

Based on a unique operating principle, the new analytical tool has no analogues in terms of its design, whether in Russia or abroad. Despite the existence of equipment with similar capabilities manufactured by foreign companies, the device is unmatched on the domestic market, contributing to import substitution and technological sovereignty.

This project is implemented by MIPT and Skoltech under a program promoting the development of domestically sourced scientific instrumentation in Russia. Mass spectrometers are sophisticated analytical tools used to measure the mass and determine the structure of molecules. Such equipment is used in chemistry, biochemistry, pharmaceutics, ecology, and beyond. The main principles underlying the work of a mass spectrometer are ionization (turning neutral molecules into electrically charged ions), mass analysis (ion separation based on mass and charge), detection (spotting and analyzing the separated ions with a detector that measures the current induced by trapped ions), and data interpretation (determining the molecular masses and the nature of the compounds, and quantitative analysis).

Mass spectrometry can be used to study complex mixtures made up of many compounds, not just single molecules. This is quite helpful for analyzing the reaction products in the chemical industry, for studying metabolites, proteins, lipids, and other biomolecules in biology and medicine, as well as for various purposes in drug design and ecological research.

Among the advantages of the technology are the high sensitivity and specificity, the capacity to analyze complex mixtures, and the rapid and precise identification of chemical compounds. Mass spectrometry is also a powerful and continually evolving tool in analytical chemistry, with new technologies and methods implemented to improve precision and reduce the time it takes to get the results of the analysis.

The new device operates on an unconventional principle. The key component of the tool is a mass analyzer, which is based on a harmonized multielectrode Kingdon trap and could give rise to an entire family of instruments. As a gas analyzer, the newly presented mass spectrometer is the first of this type of instruments with ultrahigh resolving power. It enables the study of volatile and low-volatile organic compounds, as well as gaseous inorganic molecules. The mass analyzer measures the mass of the ions in the trap based on the signal induced by the ion packet in the detecting electrodes of the trap. The device belongs to the class of Fourier transform mass spectrometers, which do not directly separate ions in space or time to measure their mass: The signal from all the ions is detected simultaneously.

Compared with the existing foreign analogues, the new device is more compact and considerably less expensive, while providing similar characteristics. Launched in 2022, the joint project is scheduled to complete in August 2025. Production should start within two years, according to plan: The domestic mass spectrometer should be ready for serial manufacture and sale by September 2027.

Such high-tech devices are fairly complex and their use has to be supported by dedicated infrastructure, which means they are mostly intended for research and development at science centers, corporate R&D departments, and universities.

“Used in this mass spectrometer or in other future devices, our mass analyzer can have a wide range of applications in petrochemistry, medicine, toxicology, the detection of toxic or illegal substances, agricultural product screening, the analysis of water, and more,” said RAS corresponding member and Skoltech Professor Evgeny Nikolaev, who heads Skoltech’s Project Center of Omics Technologies and Advanced Mass Spectrometry, which was responsible for developing the ultrahigh-resolution mass analyzer at the heart of the new device.