The mass spectrometry instrument developed by the Science Island team helps scientific research in many fields

The Institute of Health at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has a Medical Optical Spectrometry and Mass Spectrometry Research Team that has been dedicated to developing new types of mass spectrometry instruments. With the continuous improvement and enhancement of these instruments' performance and functions, they are not only widely used in environmental protection but are also increasingly recognized in scientific research fields. In recent years, these independently developed mass spectrometry instruments have supported scientific research in various fields, including agriculture and food, sensor materials, medical diagnostics, and safety, leading to multiple high-level international publications.

Applications in Agriculture and Food

The Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences research team used a PTR-MS (Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry) instrument to conduct studies on rapid identification of artificial fragrant rice and adulterated tea. The related findings were published in top-tier journals such as Food Chemistry. They also utilized the PTR-MS instrument to detect the VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) released by Western pears at different stages of maturity, leading to a non-destructive, rapid method to determine fruit ripeness, guiding farmers in their harvesting decisions. This work was published in a 2nd-quartile journal, Foods.

Applications in Sensor Materials

In the sensor materials field, the Institute of Optics and Electronics at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science team utilized PTR-MS to analyze and monitor the gaseous byproducts when trimethylamine was exposed to the new sensor material ZnO/SBO under 455 nm light. This work was published in a top-tier journal, Sensors and Actuators: B. Chemical. The same research team used PTR-MS in their study on acetone sensor materials, with results also published in Sensors and Actuators: B. Chemical.

Applications in Medical Diagnostics

In medical diagnostics, the Institute of Health collaborated with the Hefei Tumor Hospital and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University to utilize PTR-MS for a range of medical studies, including rapid non-invasive diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, rapid screening of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), rapid identification of VAP-related bacteria, and analysis of deep-lung VOCs. Representative research results were published in Talanta and other journals.

Applications in Safety

In the safety field, a related research institute from the China State Shipbuilding Corporation used a dual-source mass spectrometer developed by the team, capable of automatically switching between chemical ionization and electron bombardment sources. This instrument was applied to high-precision, high-sensitivity, real-time monitoring of organic and inorganic gases in simulated ship rescue life compartments, aiming to ensure the safety of ship salvage and the health monitoring of rescue personnel.

Future Directions

The Medical Optical Spectrometry and Mass Spectrometry Research Team at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science aims to continue focusing on high-end mass spectrometry instruments, further promoting domestic production of scientific instruments, and expanding their application scale. The team's goal is to occupy the technological high ground and provide instrument support to achieve high-level technological independence and strength.