Professional Analytical and Consulting Services

Advanced Mass Spectral Interpretation

PACS Course Number 20

9 AM to 5 PM

Mass spectrometry (MS) can help solve a wide variety of problems. This course requires some prior MS knowledge. The goal of this three-day course is to go beyond and reinforce your mass spectral interpretation skills developed in PACS course number 10, "Mass Spectral Interpretation" or its equivalent. Your MS success needs effective data interpretation and a good understanding of the state-of-the-art; these are the major subject areas for this "Advanced Mass Spectral Interpretation" course. This course is designed for providers and users of mass spectral data. This course will improve the productivity and quality of results from your MS lab and/or facilitate wise decisions for your firms use of MS services. This course is not highly theoretical, it is practical. A course outline is below. Plan to bring your calculator or laptop computer.

The course leader is Dr. Henry Nowicki; he has well over thirty years of MS experiences in many problem solving application areas: environmental sciences, clinical, toxicology, forensics, legal and illegal drugs, natural products, metabolism, food sciences, R&D, biotechnology, and others. Required text is "Interpretation Of Mass Spectra", fourth edition by Fred McLafferty and F. Turecek. This book must be brought to your PACS course and can be purchased from: University Science Books, 20 Edgehill Road, Mill Valley, CA 94941 or phone (415) 332-5390 and FAX (415) 332-5393. This course will cover problems in chapters six through ten, additional selected materials as indicated on the course outline, and topics of special interest to course participants.

Register by mailing a copy of the REGISTRATION FORM. Send it with a payment of $1495 to secure your attendance. Hotel information and a map will be sent to confirm your registration. Please list your special interest(s) on the registration form. Enrollment is limited to assure your maximum course benefits. On-site PACS courses are available (most PACS courses can be provided at your time and place). Telephone Henry Nowicki or Barb Sherman at 1.724.457.6576 if you need further information. PACS also provides laboratory testing and consulting services.

Advanced Mass Spectral Interpretation

Course Instructor: Dr. Henry Nowicki

Course Outline: Bring your calculator or laptop computer
Auxiliary Techniques: Alternative Ionization Methods - Low energy electrons, CI, FAB, PD/LD, ESI; Ion Trap MS; Exact Mass Measurements (High Resolution); Collisional Activation and Metastable Ion Spectra; Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS/MS); HPLC-MS and ICP-MS; Chemical Derivatives
Theory Of Unimolecular Ion Decompositions, lightly covered: Energy Deposition and Rate Function; Thermodynamics vs Kinetic Effects; Quasi-Equilibrium Theory; Derivation of P(E) Functions; Calculation of k(E) Functions; Thermochemical Relationships; Random Rearrangements examples
Detailed Mechanisms Of Ion Fragmentation: Unimolecular Ion Decompositions; Basic Factors Affecting Ion Abundance; Reaction Initiation at Radical or Charge Sites; Reaction Classifications; Charge-Site Initiation (Inductive Cleavage); Decomposition of Cyclic Structures; Hydrogen Rearrangements; Other Rearrangements
Mass Spectra Of Common Compound Classes, heavily covered: Hydrocarbons- saturated, unsaturated and cyclic; Alcohols; Aldehydes and Ketones; Esters (small, medium and large); Acids and Anhydrides; Ethers and Epoxides; Thiols and Thioethers; Amines; Amides; Cyanides; Aliphatic Halides; Other Types of Compounds and Derivatives
Computer Identification Of Unknown Mass Spectra, lightly covered: Retrieval: The Probability Based Matching (PBM) System; Interpretation: The Self-Training Interpretive and Retrieval (STIRS) System; Application of PBM and STIRS; Expert System

Consider first taking "Mass Spectral Interpretation", PACS course number 10, before enrolling in this course

View the PACS Short Course Schedule

Course participants are encouraged to e-mail questions to Dr. Henry Nowicki at

Please NOTE: List your special interest on the registration form. We will try to accommodate your interest. PACS also provides internet consulting information at http://pacslabs.com

Training is an Investment in employee employer Future!

For more information please contact:

Henry Nowicki, Ph.D. / M.B.A
PACS Testing, Consulting and Training
409 Meade Drive, Coraopolis, PA 15108
Phone: 1. 724. 457. 6576 or 1. 800. 367. 2587
Fax: 1. 724. 457. 1214
E-Mail:
PACS website: http://pacslabs.com

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