# Next Generation Elemental Mass Spectrometry of Non-Metals

> **NIH NIH R01** · GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $206,317

## Abstract

Project summary
Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) has become an influential technology in biomedical
investigations. However, absolute quantification of compounds remains a major challenge using this
technique. In molecular LC-MS, an analytical standard for each compound is needed for absolute
concentration measurements. The standards are often unavailable for many identified compounds,
requiring major efforts for their synthesis and purification for analytical purposes. The problem of standard
unavailability is frequently encountered in quantitative characterization of xenobiotic metabolism, e.g. in
drug development. This proposal addresses quantification without compound-specific standards by
advancing elemental MS of F, Cl, P, and S, prevalent heteroatoms in both small and large biologically
important molecules. Elemental MS provides compound-independent quantification of elements in LC-
separated compounds. The elemental concentrations are then readily translated to molecular
concentrations using molecular formulae (confirmed by molecular LC-MS). In the proposed research,
analytical performance of elemental MS for heteroatoms is significantly enhanced compared to the
existing elemental MS technologies. The improvements arise from developing an elemental ionization
method that offers: 1) a new mechanism for efficient ionization of F and Cl, and 2) compatibility with
advanced ion separation methods in molecular LC-MS platforms, enabling reduction of isobaric
interferences via ultra-high-resolution MS and ion mobility separations previously unavailable in
elemental MS. Notably, the second advantage also facilitates adoption of elemental quantification in
biomedical investigations by eliminating the need for a dedicated elemental MS platform. Our
investigations will be in collaboration with instrument manufacturing and pharmaceutical collaborators
from industry, highlighting the impact and adoptability of the proposed technique.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10472500
- **Project number:** 5R01GM132112-04
- **Recipient organization:** GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Kaveh Jorabchi
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $206,317
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-23 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10472500

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10472500, Next Generation Elemental Mass Spectrometry of Non-Metals (5R01GM132112-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10472500. Licensed CC0.

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