Mass Spectrometry FAQs
How do I fill out my sample submission form?
Log on to NUCORE and select
MS Sample Submission
from the side-menu. Complete the form, save your cart and then print the form. For a detailed instructions on submitting a sample for accurate mass identification, view this
NUcore submission tutorial
. Before submitting your sample, please visit the
Sample Submission Guidelines
page and review the guidelines for sucssessful sample submission.
How should I handle air/temperature/light/time-sensitive samples?
If your samples will decompose rapidly under ambient conditions, please leave them in a safe place in your lab. Fill out a sample submission form and leave it in the queue. You must also contact Saman or another IMSERC staff member to arrange a time to bring your samples to the lab for analysis.
What happens to my samples when you are done with the experiment?
If you know you will need your sample returned, write a comment on the submission form and we will save what material we can. Unused material is deposited in the finished sample area on the bench by the queue and may be picked up at any time. We empty the boxes approximately every two weeks, so be sure to retrieve your sample as soon as possible after the experiment.
I left my sample in the queue and haven't heard anything. What now?
The most likely explanation is that your sample is still waiting its turn in the queue. If you are concerned, feel free to e-mail us, or come by the lab. Most samples are analyzed within one week.
How do I decide what instrument to use for my sample?
We have multiple instruments available for open access use. The best instrument to use will depend on the molecular weight, functional groups present in the molecule, and the complexity of the sample. See our instrument descriptions for details on each instrument. And we encourage you to contact Mass Spec staff who may help direct you ro the right insturment. You can also review this
Mass Spec Primer
that details the different techniques in MS at IMSERC.
How do I make MNOVA work for Bruker MALDI-ToF or Amazon-X and SL data?
CompassXtract executable file needs to be on your hard drive for MNOVA to work with Bruker MALDI-ToF file types. See the detailed step by step instructions in this link. For AmaZon-X and -SL, MNOVA is compatible with PC only. If you are having issues with MNOVA, open the file in MNOVA at the instrument PC, display the data as you would like to view it, then save the MNOVA file in your data directory. You can now open the MVONA file with any operating system.