Enhanced mass resolution tandem mass spectrometry method for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin detection with ion trap mass spectrometry using high damping gas pressure

Damping gas flow was optimized for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) determination using ion trap mass spectrometer. A tandem mass spectrometry (MS–MS) method with better than unit-mass resolution (mass width, 0.3 u) was developed at a damping gas flow of 1.5 ml/min and a collision-induced dissociation (CID) voltage of 3.30 V. The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) at the enhanced resolution was 2.9% in 24 h of consecutive injections. The detection limit was significantly improved because the efficiency of both precursor ion trapping and fragmentation increased with the damping gas flow. Product ion yield was 4.5 times higher and limit of detection was 3.2 times lower than at the default flow (0.3 ml/min and 1.65 V).