Agilent Technologies Boosts Performance of its Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer, Sells 500th Unit

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced the introduction of the Agilent 6410B triple quadrupole (QQQ) mass spectrometer (MS) and the sale of the 500th Agilent 6410 QQQ in less than two years since the platform was introduced.

The new B version of the popular Agilent 6410 features polarity switching scans every 500 msec, allowing complex mixtures of compounds with strong fragmentation in positive and negative ion mode to be analyzed in a single run. The Agilent 6410B doubles the number of Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) scans that can be performed in a given time segment and also increases the maximum number of MRMs per method to more than 10,000. Users can create more efficient methods to analyze more compounds in a shorter timeframe.

Agilent also introduced new automated method optimization software for the 6410B. This new program selects the best ion transitions for a panel of analytes introduced by infusion, direct injection or chromatographic injection, and optimizes collision energies and other instrument settings to maximize overall method sensitivity and robustness.

Agilent Sells 500th QQQ

Agilent also announced today that it has recently sold the landmark 500th 6410 QQQ in less than two years since the product line was launched.

“Naturally, we’re very pleased that this instrument, and our mass spec line in general, is enjoying brisk uptake in both the life science and analytical chemistry segments,” said Gustavo Salem, Agilent vice president and general manager, LC/MS.

The purchasers of the 500th (and 501st) Agilent 6410 QQQ are professors Hugo Neels, Ph.D., and Adrian Covaci, Ph.D., Department of Toxicology, University of Antwerp, Belgium. One of the instruments will be used to develop clinical applications, both biochemical and toxicological, for Stuivenberg Hospital in Antwerp and additional community hospitals. The other instrument will serve to develop environmental applications related to endocrine disruptors.

“We have (Agilent predecessor HP) GCs that are still working every day, 10 hours per day for the last 24 years with few problems, so we know that Agilent produces very reliable instruments and techniques with a good price quality ratio,” Dr. Neels said in describing why he selected the Agilent 6410 QQQ. “Also, Agilent provided a very convincing demonstration of two difficult chromatographies for HBCDs and for drugs in river water.”

“We also like the way Agilent works with us to develop new applications,” Dr. Neels continued. “We’re working on a number of difficult biochemical, forensic and environmental applications, and this collaborative approach is very helpful.”