Petroleomics by Ultrahigh-Resolution Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

This 2012 study by Klitzke et al. evaluates the application of high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) for comprehensive petroleomic analysis, focusing on polar components in crude oils and distillates. The research compares the performance of TOF-MS with a resolving power (Rp) of 100,000 at m/z 400 to Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry, demonstrating that TOF-MS offers comparable resolution and accuracy for molecular formula assignments and heteroatom class determination. The study highlights the advantages of TOF-MS, including faster data acquisition, lower operational costs, and reduced maintenance requirements, making it a viable alternative to FT-ICR for routine petroleomic analyses.