I would like to build a low cost chromatography/mass spectrometry system as proof of concept, and as an exercise to learn different skills that go into instrumentation building. Cost, both initial and operational, is a major criterion influencing buying decision when considering such instrumentation. A simple liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (LC-ESI-QqQ MS) can easily cost USD 150,000 - USD 200,000. For a lot of laboratories, and purposes, such initial costs can be prohibitively expensive, and so, I am particularly interested in building a low cost electrospray ionization-(single) quadrupole mass spectrometer (ESI-Q MS) (Figure PI.1).
Figure PI.1: Block diagram of an electrospray ionization-(single) quadrupole mass spectrometer (ESI-Q MS).