Leap ahead with an extra level of selectivity with the SelexION differential mobility separation device

SelexION differential mobility separation

LC-MS/MS assay development can be challenging, particularly for analytes that coelute with contaminants or become buried within background noise. The SCIEX SelexION differential mobility separation device (DMS) provides an extra level of selectivity so you can resolve difficult analytes and achieve higher confidence in detection and quantitation. Designed to install between the ionization source and the vacuum interface of your mass spectrometer, SelexION provides a further degree of separation beyond retention time and mass. SelexION uses gas phase differential ion mobility to enable the separation of coeluting compounds, isobaric and isomeric compounds, and compounds buried within high background noise. Instead of spending more time on LC separation strategies and sample preparation, SelexION simplifies your workflow with an innovative add-on separation solution. The SelexION differential mobility separation device:
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  • Provides a robust and reproducible additional level of selectivity and separation
  • Installs and de-installs within 2 minutes without breaking vacuum
  • Can be operated in a transparent mode for those assays where ion mobility is not required
  • Can be used with optional chemical modifiers to further increase separation power
  • Compatible with select SCIEX Triple Quad, QTRAP, and TripleTOF systems
  • Compatible with a variety of ion sources including the NanoSpray ion source and the Turbo V™ ion source
  • Compatible with fast UHPLC timescales

SelexION can enhance analyte detection, improve quantitation limits, simplify sample preparation, and shorten assay development time. With applications in food and environmental analysis, forensics, lipidomics, peptide and protein quantitation, and small molecule bioanalysis and metabolism, SelexION DMS can enrich your assays, streamline your workflows, and improve your overall productivity.

Key features

Easy to install

Compact and simple design allows the cell to be installed without the use of any tools and in less than 2 minutes

Robust and stable

Updated curtain plate to accommodate the differential ion mobility cell. Maintains the same level of robustness and stability associated with the original design

The power of SelexION takes you beyond limitation

Overcome your most advanced analytical challenges

For scientists who are challenged by assays with isobaric interferences and difficult-to-separate co-eluting contaminants, this fast, reproducible and easy-to-use approach will enhance the selectivity of your LC-MS/MS separations.
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Save time

Enhance selectivity without the need for additional complex sample preparation

Fast separation

Perform fast separation analyses compatible with UHPLC timescales

Improve LOQ

Overcome co-eluting matrix interferences and improve data quality in complex samples

Boost confidence

Separate and quantify isobaric molecular species for more accurate biological insights

2-minute install

Maximize mass spec workflow flexibility with easy install that doesn’t require breaking the system vacuum

The perfect match for your lab

Explore SelexION device compatibility

Used in pharmaceutical, academic and food and environment testing labs across the globe, SelexION DMS technology brings the power of differential ion mobility to even routine users. The technology is compatible with several SCIEX Triple Quad™, QTRAP and TripleTOF platforms. Explore the table below to see what SelexION device is right for your system.

We also offer the SelexION+ ion mobility cell, currently available for use on the SCIEX 6500+ series mass spectrometers. The SelexION+ device is enhanced by a jet injector that reduces the ion residence time within fringing fields at the DMS inlet. This delivers a 2-fold increase in transmission over the standard SelexION device.

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InstrumentSelexIONSelexION+
5500 series✔ 
6500 series✔ 
6500+ series ✔
TripleTOF 5600+✔ 
TripleTOF 6600✔ 

SelexION applications and workflows

Bring the power of SelexION technology to your application

From pharmaceutical drug discovery/development and lipidomic analysis to food, environmental testing and so much more, learn how SelexION technology has enhanced results in these key applications.

Lipidomic analysis

Improve lipid class separation for more confident lipid ID
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Novel lipid screening

Get a complete solution for lipidomics research
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Bioanalytical quantitation

Improve selectivity for quantitative bioanalysis
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Food contaminants

Identify and quantify food contaminants
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2-minute install

Maximize mass spec workflow flexibility with easy install that doesn’t require breaking the system vacuum
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Get more from your mass spec

The best-in-class mass specs just got better

SelexION differential ion mobility technology takes some of the world's most advanced mass spectrometry systems and adds a new dimension of selectivity to enhance quantitative and qualitative performance. Compatible with many SCIEX systems, SelexION device can be installed and uninstalled within 2-minutes without breaking vacuum, giving you the freedom to use ion mobility technology as needed.

SCIEX QTRAP 6500+ system
Most sensitive and selective system to push quantitation further than ever before
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SCIEX Triple Quad 5500+ QTRAP ready
Sensitivity and performance to easily meet analytical and regulatory demands for low-level trace detection.
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TripleTOF 6600+ system
Achieve the optimum of quantitative performance
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The science behind unmatched separation

SCIEX SelexION device is a small, planar mobility cell that significantly increases analytical separation power, even if compounds have identical molecular weights and chromatographic retention times, made possible by a mobility region and optional polar modifiers in the transport region.

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Mobility separation

Two parallel flat plates define a mobility region, allowing nitrogen carrier gas to create forward directional flow between the ion source and the mass spec analyzer. Analytes are separated based on their respective size, shape, charge state and chemical interaction, prior to entering the mass spec.

Modifier separation

Polar modifiers in the transport region can lead to a significant increase in analyte separation and peak capacity. Chemical modifiers, such as isopropanol or acetonitrile, influence ion mobility based on their ability to cluster with analytes.

SelexION in action

See how the small, planar SelexION DMS device can enhance analytical separations for isobaric species and co-eluting contaminants.

A step above the rest: The better way to see more

SelexION offers a unique approach to separation that is unmatched by any other available method. Firstly, it is a planar device that separates ions based on differences in mobility in two different regions of the field dependent mobility curve (Ref 1). Secondly, due to its size, the system can operate with very short residence times with optimal performance when using chemical modifiers, and can be used in transparent mode to allow for maximal workflow flexibility.

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Enhanced isobaric separation

Other types of standard low field mobility devices, such as drift tubes, separate ions based upon differences in the low field mobility constant related to analyte mass, and are generally less effective at separating isobaric ions (Refs 2, 3).

Planar resolving power

Planar devices such as SelexION eliminates heterogeneous electric fields within the device, leading to increased resolving power compared to curved surface mobility devices (Refs 4, 5).

Separation flexibility

SelexION offers the ability to turn off separation voltage and operate in a ‘transparent’ mode to transmit all ions, providing the option to perform non-ion mobility assays without removing the front-end device (Ref 1).

Learning center

References:

  1. Schneider, B. B., Nazarov, E. G., Londry, F., Vouros, P. and Covey, T. R. (2016), Differential mobility spectrometry/mass spectrometry history, theory, design optimization, simulations, and applications. Mass Spec Rev, 35: 687–737.
  2.  Shvartsburg AA, Prior DC, Tang K, Smith RD, “High-Resolution differential Ion Mobility Separations Using Planar Analyzers at Elevated Dispersion Fields”, Anal. Chem., 2010, 82, 7649-7655.
  3.  Revercomb and Mason, “Theory of plasma chromatography/gaseous electrophoresis”, Anal. Chem., 47, 1975, 970-983.
  4.  Shvartsburg AA, Li F, Tang K, Smith RD, “High-Resolution Field Asymmetric Waveform Ion Mobility Spectrometry Using New Planar Geometry Analyzers”, Anal. Chem., 2006, 78, 3706-3714.
  5.  Krylov EV, Nazarov EG, Miller RA, “Differential Mobility Spectrometer: Model of Operation”, Int. J. Mass Spectrom., 266, 2007, 76-85.
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