Photoactivation and photodissociation are useful tools in tandem mass spectrometry, but implementation often involves cumbersome and potentially dangerous configurations. To remedy this problem, Trent Peters-Clarke coupled a fiber-optic cable to an infrared (IR) laser on a mass spectrometer. His work shows that such fiber-assisted activated ion-electron transfer dissociation (AI-ETD) and IR multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) experiments can be carried out as effectively as traditional mirror-based implementations. The configuration allows for a more robust, straightforward, and safe instrumentation on commercial mass spectrometers therefore broadening the accessibility of these techniques.
This research is described in a recent Analytical Chemistry publication titled Optical Fiber-Enabled Photoactivation of Peptides and Proteins.
