JPH02259558A - Liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively prevent the clogging of a vaporizer by providing a means for extracting the inner end of the vaporizer from a chip block at the outer end. CONSTITUTION:The liq. chromatograph 1 for separating each component in a liq. sample, the mass spectrometer 2 for identifying each component and an interface 3 set in between are provided. The interface 3 is provided with the vaporizer 4 for heating and vaporizing each separated component, the chip block 5 for supporting the inner end of the vaporizer 4 and heating each component and an ion source block 6 for ionizing each component introduced through the chip block 5. The means 11 for extracting the inner end of the vaporizer 4 from the chip block 5 is provided at the outer end, and a control means 12 for starting the extracting means 11 in accordance with the analysis finishing operation is furnished. As a result, only the difficultly volatile component remains in the vaporizer 4 after the analysis is finished.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Industrial application field The present invention applies to a liquid chromatograph 71 that is used for separating and analyzing liquid samples in many fields such as medicine, pharmacy, and biochemistry. Quantitative analysis (hereinafter referred to as LC)
/MS).

(B) Conventional technology Conventionally, this type of LC/MS has been equipped with a liquid chromatograph (hereinafter referred to as LC) 1 that separates each component in a liquid sample, and a A device is known that includes a mass spectrometer (hereinafter referred to as MS) 2 for identification and an interface 3 disposed between them. In this LCI, a liquid sample to be analyzed is introduced into a stationary phase in which a mobile phase is flowing, and each component in the liquid sample is separated. It is common for substances to be mixed in.

The interface 3 also includes a vaporizer 4 that heats and vaporizes each component in the liquid sample separated by LCl, and a chip block that supports the inner end 4a of the inserted vaporizer 4 and heats each component. 5, and an ion source block 6 that ionizes each component introduced through the chip block 5. The ionized components are introduced into the MS 2 by differential pumping, and the excess is sucked out via a valve 13 by a vacuum pump 7 connected to the ion source block 6 . In this figure, reference numeral 8 is a heater disposed within the chip block 5, 9 is a heater disposed within the ion source block 6, and 10 is a heater disposed opposite the chip block 6 at the outer end of the vaporizer 4. This is a base plate that supports the portion 4b.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention Incidentally, in the LC/MS having the above configuration, even if the analysis termination operation is performed, the inner end 4a of the vaporizer 4 constituting the interface 3 is not inserted into the chip block 5. It's still there. Therefore, at the time of this analysis completion operation, each component remaining in the vaporizer 4 supported by the heated chip block 5 is heated and rapidly vaporized, and the non-volatile components contained therein are heated and rapidly vaporized. As a result, these residual components adhere to the inside end 4a of the vaporizer 4, causing clogging.

The present invention has been devised in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to effectively prevent clogging of the vaporizer without causing rapid vaporization of each component remaining in the vaporizer due to the analysis termination operation. The aim is to provide an LC/MS that is capable of

(d) Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve such an objective, the present invention provides an LC that separates each component in a liquid sample, an MS that identifies each component, and an MS disposed between these. Equipped with a built-in interface,
In addition, this interface includes a vaporizer that heats and vaporizes each separated component, a chip block that supports the inner end of the inserted vaporizer and heats each component, and a vaporizer that heats each component introduced through this chip block. LC/M comprising an ion source block for ionization
S, disposed at the outer end of the vaporizer is a pull-out drive means for pulling out the inner end of the vaporizer from the chip block, and a control means for activating the pull-out drive means in response to an analysis completion operation; It is characterized by having the following.

(e) Effect According to the above configuration, when the analysis completion operation in the LC/MS is performed, the control means starts the extraction drive means, and furthermore, the extraction drive means causes the inner end of the vaporizer to will be pulled out from the chip block. Therefore, the components remaining in the vaporizer at the time of analysis completion operation are not heated by the heated chip block and rapidly vaporized, and only the non-volatile components are not left in the vaporizer.

(f) Example Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an LC/MS according to the present invention. Since the basic configuration of this LC/MS is the same as that of the conventional example described above, FIG. 1 and FIG. Identical or corresponding parts and portions are given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations here will be omitted.

The LC/MS according to this example includes an LCI that separates each component in a liquid sample, an MS 2 that identifies each component, and an interface 3 disposed between these. 3 is a vaporizer 4 that heats and vaporizes each component in the liquid sample separated by LCI.
A chip block 5 that heats each component introduced from this vaporizer 4, and an ion source block 6 that ionizes each component introduced through this chip block 5 are provided. Then, the inner end 4a of this vaporizer 4
is supported by the chip block 5 so that it can be inserted and removed, while its outer end 4b is supported by the base plate 10 so that it can be inserted and removed.

Further, on this base plate 10, an extracting driving means 11 equipped with a mechanism such as a cylinder and a motor for extracting the inner end 4a of the vaporizer 4 from the chip block 5 is positioned and disposed. A drive end of the extraction drive means 11 is connected to the outer end 4b of the vaporizer 4. This interface 3 includes a control means 12 for starting the extraction drive means 11 in response to the analysis termination operation, for example, an LC/MS control device that is pressed during the analysis termination operation.
A sequence circuit or the like is provided which outputs a start signal for the extraction drive means 11 in conjunction with a switch (not shown). Further, the control silicon 12 outputs a closing signal for a valve 13 disposed between the ion source block 6 and the vacuum pump 7. In addition,
Although not shown in FIG. 1, the control means 12 may be configured to stop the heating operation of the heater 8 disposed within the chip block 5.

Therefore, in the LC/MS according to this embodiment, when the analysis end operation is performed, the control means 12 starts the extraction drive means 11 in response to this operation, and further,
The inner end 4a of the vaporizer 4 is pulled out from the chip block 5 by this extraction drive means 11. Simultaneously with this operation, the valve 13 is closed.

(g) As described in detail, the present invention includes an extraction driving means for pulling out the inner end of the vaporizer from the chip block to the outside, and a control means for starting the extraction driving means. Since this is provided, the control means activates the extracting drive means in response to the L analysis completion operation, and the inner end of the vaporizer is pulled out from the chip block by the extracting drive means. Therefore, the components remaining in the vaporizer at the end of the analysis are not heated by the heated chip block and are not rapidly vaporized, and only the non-volatile components remain in the vaporizer. As a result, clogging of the vaporizer can be effectively prevented.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an LC/MS according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an LC/MS according to a conventional example. In the figure, 1 is LC (liquid chromatograph), 2 is MS (mass spectrometer), 3 is interface, 4 is vaporizer, 5 is chip block, 6 is ion source block, 11 is extraction drive means, 12 is control It is a means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A liquid chromatograph that separates each component in a liquid sample, a mass spectrometer that identifies each component, and an interface disposed between these, and this interface It is equipped with a vaporizer that heats and vaporizes components, a chip block that supports the inner end of the inserted vaporizer and heats each component, and an ion source block that ionizes each component introduced through this chip block. In the liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometer, an extraction driving means is disposed at the outer end of the vaporizer for pulling out the inner end of the vaporizer from the chip block, and the extraction driving means is arranged in the outer end of the vaporizer to pull out the inner end of the vaporizer from the chip block. A liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometer characterized by comprising a control means for starting and operating the means.