Mass spectrometry is positioned worldwide as an indispensable tool for scientific research, because it provides scope for the analysis of complex samples. In this context, the NOA Bionanotechnology Institute (INBIONATEC, CONICET-UNSE) recently incorporated the country’s first Orbitrap Exploris 240 mass spectrometerwhich constitutes an advance in the implementation of innovative technologies with applications in favor of a wide variety of scientific disciplines.
The range of possibilities it offers ranges from studies related to the identification of unknown molecules, the search for contaminants or adulterants in foods and the discovery of biomarkers, to the characterization of proteins. That is to say, it is a system with the capacity for exploration of both biological and diverse environmental samples. So much so that, for Domingo Tagliafico –installation technician and consulting agent for Thermo Fischer Scientific-, being the first equipment of its kind in Argentina, “it will promote significant advances and help us understand the world around us.”
Regarding its incorporation into the dual dependency institute between the Council and the National University of Santiago del Estero, the director of INBIONATEC, Claudio Borsarelli, highlighted the importance for the province of having this type of high-performance and sensitive analytical instruments, who are pioneers in northern Argentina and in several regions of South America. And he added: “It will provide versatility and usefulness to strengthen technological links with many sectors of society that have competencies in food safety and quality, the environment, forensic and clinical chemistry, and agroforestry production,” among others.
For Borsarelli, the incorporation of the Orbitrap Exploris 240 – already installed and made available to specialists in the Institute’s Advanced Analytical Services Laboratory (LabSAA) – as well as many other high-tech analytical equipment, will open the spectrum for continue with the development of lines of research and High Level Technological Services (STAN) to the public and productive sector. In fact, at INBIONATEC, work has already begun on a line of research to determine herbicides in honey in conjunction with the Coopsol Cooperative: “The purpose is to analyze and monitor the quality of organic honey produced in the region for export,” he points out. the investigator.
The fundamental principle behind this spectrometer – with a superior resolution of 240,000 FWHM thanks to its Quadrupole-Orbitrap technology – lies in its ability to separate, identify and quantify molecules with unique precision, even if they were extremely similar or were samples. highly complex. This way It is possible to obtain detailed characterization of metabolites, proteins and unknown chemical compounds in a multiplicity of biological, pharmaceutical and environmental matrices.
Likewise, by having the Compound Discoverer software, this technology has advanced tools for data analysis; So using built-in library search algorithms and feature clustering capabilities, INBIONATEC research teams and technical staff can quickly identify unknown compounds and perform comparative analyzes between samples. “This functionality is essential in metabolomics and proteomics research, where accurate data interpretation is crucial to obtain relevant biological information,” says Tagliafico.
One of the highlights of this technology is its application in biomarker discovery and metabolomics. Researchers can perform comprehensive analyzes of known and unknown contaminants in food, water, environmental, and forensic samples. Also metabolites in biological samples, identifying disease biomarkers, disturbed metabolic pathways and possible therapeutic targets. This capability is especially relevant in areas such as precision medicine, where the identification of distinctive metabolic profiles can inform the diagnosis and personalized treatment of diseases.
Furthermore, the system offers significant opportunities in the field of proteomics. The high resolution and sensitivity of the equipment allows the identification and precise quantification of proteins in complex samples, facilitating the study of protein expression, post-translational modifications and protein-protein interaction. These investigations are essential for understanding the underlying mechanisms of diseases, as well as for the development of targeted therapies.
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