Realising a Poschenrieder dual-sector electrostatic analyser for charge-detection mass spectrometry
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Chemistry
- 2University of Manchester
- 3TrueMass Ltd, Lloyd Street North, Manchester, M15 6SE
- 4Fasmatech
- 5NCSR Demokritos
- 6Spectroswiss
Abstract
Megadalton biomolecular assemblies, including viral vectors, synthetic nanoparticles and protein aggregates, are increasingly important chemical and therapeutic entities, yet their heterogeneity often exceeds the resolving power and space charge tolerance of conventional mass spectrometry. To overcome these limitations, here we report the first realisation of a Poschenrieder dual-sector electrostatic analyser as a charge-detection mass spectrometer. The instrument traps individual ions in a continuous closed trajectory between two spherical electrostatic sectors, enabling induced-current detection over extended transients without end-cap deceleration. Coupled to a high-mass ion-transfer interface, the analyser supports both ensemble m/z measurements and single-particle charge detection of large biomolecular ions. We validate the platform using protein standards and demonstrate megadalton mass analysis of adeno-associated virus capsids, distinguishing empty and genome-containing populations in agreement with orthogonal mass photometry and Orbitrap-based measurements. Although charge-detection noise remains the principal performance constraint in this first-generation prototype, the dual-sector architecture offers a simple, high-capacity route to charge-detection mass spectrometry with substantial scope for improved resolution through miniaturisation and reduced detector capacitance.
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BibTeX
@misc{liggett2026realising,
title = {{Realising a Poschenrieder dual-sector electrostatic analyser for charge-detection mass spectrometry}},
author = {Ellen N Liggett and Akhila Ajith and Alexey Barkhanskiy and Elvin Cabrera and Thomas Hoare and Kathleen Cain and Alexandros Lekkas and Anton N. Kozhinov and Konstantin O. Nagornov and Yury O. Tsybin and Dimitris Papanastasiou and Raj Parikh and Richard Chapman and Perdita Barran and John B Hoyes},
howpublished = {ChemRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.26434/chemrxiv.15005731/v2},
url = {https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15005731/v2},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Realising a Poschenrieder dual-sector electrostatic analyser for charge-detection mass spectrometry
AU - Ellen N Liggett
AU - Akhila Ajith
AU - Alexey Barkhanskiy
AU - Elvin Cabrera
AU - Thomas Hoare
AU - Kathleen Cain
AU - Alexandros Lekkas
AU - Anton N. Kozhinov
AU - Konstantin O. Nagornov
AU - Yury O. Tsybin
AU - Dimitris Papanastasiou
AU - Raj Parikh
AU - Richard Chapman
AU - Perdita Barran
AU - John B Hoyes
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/12
PB - ChemRxiv
DO - 10.26434/chemrxiv.15005731/v2
UR - https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15005731/v2
AB - Megadalton biomolecular assemblies, including viral vectors, synthetic nanoparticles and protein aggregates, are increasingly important chemical and therapeutic entities, yet their heterogeneity often exceeds the resolving power and space charge tolerance of conventional mass spectrometry. To overcome these limitations, here we report the first realisation of a Poschenrieder dual-sector electrostatic analyser as a charge-detection mass spectrometer. The instrument traps individual ions in a continuous closed trajectory between two spherical electrostatic sectors, enabling induced-current detection over extended transients without end-cap deceleration. Coupled to a high-mass ion-transfer interface, the analyser supports both ensemble m/z measurements and single-particle charge detection of large biomolecular ions. We validate the platform using protein standards and demonstrate megadalton mass analysis of adeno-associated virus capsids, distinguishing empty and genome-containing populations in agreement with orthogonal mass photometry and Orbitrap-based measurements. Although charge-detection noise remains the principal performance constraint in this first-generation prototype, the dual-sector architecture offers a simple, high-capacity route to charge-detection mass spectrometry with substantial scope for improved resolution through miniaturisation and reduced detector capacitance.
ER -