Tqd quantum triple quadrupole mass spectrometer

The Acquity UPLC (TM) system tandem MS was used for separation and detection. The column used for chromatographic separation was a Waters Acquity BEH C18 column (2.1 × 50 mm², i.d. 1.7 μm; Waters, Wexford, Ireland). The mobile phase was consisted of acetonitrile contained with 0.1% formic acid (A) as well as water contained with 0.1% formic acid (B). The elution gradient was as following sections: 5% A for 0 min, 30% A for 1.5 min, 90% A for 3.0 min, 5% A for 4.0 min, and 5% A for 5.0 min. The flow rate was 0.35 mL/min under 45 °C of the column temperature. The injection volume was 5 μL.
The Waters TQD Quantum triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with electrospray ionization (ESI) source was used for mass analysis and detection. The mass spectrometer was operated in either the positive or negative mode and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode was selected to quantify the reference substrate (Table 5). Data acquisition and processing was performed using Micromass Masslynx version 4.1 and the reference substrate was quantified according to a validated UPLC-MS/MS method. The main operating parameters were set as follows: desolvation temperature, 350 °C; nebulizer gas (N₂), 650 L/h; source heater, 120 °C; and the scan time for each analyte, 0.1s.

The UPLC–MS
measurement for SCU was reported by Li et al.^{31 (link)} An Acuity UPLC system equipped with a binary pump, degasser, autosampler,
and temperature-controlled column compartment and a TQD quantum triple-quadrupole
mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source
(Waters Corp., Manchester, UK) were used for SCU analysis in the pharmacokinetics
and tissue distribution studies. Liquid chromatography (LC) was performed
by a Waters Van Guard BEH C18 column (2.1 mm × 50 mm, 1.7 μm)
at 45 °C with the mobile phase consisting of 0.1% formic acid
in acetonitrile (A) and 0.1% formic acid water (B). The gradient program
is as follows: 0–0.5 min, 5% A and 95% B; 0.5–3 min,
5–95% A and 95–5% B; and 3–3.5 min, 95–5%
A and 5–95% B. The peaks were obtained at a flow rate of 0.3
mL/min with a sample injection volume of 1 μL. The electrospray
positive ionization (ESI⁺) was used for detection and analysis.
In the positive ion mode, the SCU parameters are as follows: capillary
voltage at 3 kV, cone voltage at 30 V, and collision energy at 20
eV; the puerarin parameters are as follows: capillary voltage at 3
kV, cone voltage at 40 V, and collision energy at 30 eV. SCU and puerarin
(internal standard) were quantified using the selected ion recording
mode (SIR) of their parent ions, 463 and 417, respectively.