LC-MS Grade chemicals
Solvents and additives for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry: low metal ions, low background ions and tested for MS suitability.
What LC-MS grade means
LC-MS grade solvents, and additives such as formic acid, acetic acid and ammonium formate, are produced for liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Mass spectrometers detect ions rather than UV absorbance, so the critical impurities are different: sodium and potassium form adduct ions that split signal between several m/z values, surfactants and plasticisers produce persistent background peaks, and many contaminants suppress ionisation of the analyte. LC-MS grade controls these, in addition to the usual HPLC parameters.
Typical specifications
| Parameter | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| Assay (GC) | ≥ 99.9% |
| Individual metal ions (Na, K, Ca, Fe and others) | Typically ≤ 5 to 100 ppb each |
| MS background | Tested in positive and negative ESI. No significant peaks above a stated threshold |
| MS suitability | Signal of a reference compound (e.g. reserpine) meets a stated minimum |
| Residue on evaporation | ≤ 1 to 2 mg/L |
| Water | ≤ 0.02 to 0.05% |
Values in the table are typical of the grade. The limits that apply to a given product are those stated on its specification and lot Certificate of Analysis.
Where it is used
- Bioanalysis of drugs and metabolites in plasma, urine and tissue
- Trace impurity and nitrosamine determination by LC-MS/MS
- Proteomics, metabolomics and lipidomics
- Environmental and food residue analysis by LC-MS/MS
How it differs from neighbouring grades
HPLC grade is tested for UV absorbance, residue and particulates but not for metal ions or MS background, so it can raise noise and adducts in sensitive MS work. UHPLC-MS grades are typically LC-MS grade filtered through finer membranes for use with sub-2 µm columns. Water for LC-MS should also be LC-MS grade or freshly produced ultrapure water, since stored water picks up organic contamination.
Good practice
Use glass bottles dedicated to LC-MS mobile phases, avoid detergents on glassware, add acid and buffer from LC-MS grade stocks, and do not top up old mobile phase. Most background problems in LC-MS come from handling rather than the solvent itself.
We supply LC-MS grade acetonitrile, methanol, water, isopropanol and common additives, and each lot COA reports the metal ion values and MS suitability results so that you can compare lots, investigate background changes and document reagent quality in validated bioanalytical methods.
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Send a sourcing requestFAQs
Why does LC-MS grade matter if HPLC grade is already pure?
HPLC grade is not tested for metal ions or MS background. Sodium and potassium form adducts, and trace contaminants suppress ionisation, reducing sensitivity.
Do additives like formic acid need to be LC-MS grade?
Yes. Additives are used at low concentration but can still introduce metals and background ions, so LC-MS grade additives are recommended.
What is a reserpine test?
A suitability test in which a reserpine solution is analysed by LC-MS to show adequate signal and low background with that solvent lot.
Other grades
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