The Evolution of Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry within the Pharmaceutical Industry

Time‑of‑flight (TOF) and quadrupole time‑of‑flight mass spectrometry have undergone dramatic advancements over the past decade—transforming how scientists characterize, identify, and quantify complex chemical compounds. In this on‑demand webinar, Dr. Anthony Bristow, Associate Principal Scientist at AstraZeneca, explores how these technologies have evolved and why recent developments represent a true turning point for pharmaceutical analysis and beyond.

The presentation traces the progression of TOF‑MS from its early commercial adoption in the 1990s to today’s high‑resolution instruments, highlighting key improvements in mass resolving power, mass accuracy, and dynamic range. Dr. Bristow explains how innovations such as extended and multipass flight paths have pushed TOF‑MS into performance territory once reserved for Fourier transform instruments—unlocking new analytical possibilities.

A key focus of the webinar is the application of high‑resolution TOF instrumentation, including LECO’s HRT platforms. Using real‑world examples and collaborative data, Dr. Bristow demonstrates how these systems enable detailed structural characterization of small organic molecules and trace‑level impurities—an essential capability in pharmaceutical development, from drug substance purity to metabolite identification and impurity profiling.

Whether you work in pharmaceutical R&D, analytical chemistry, or related fields, this webinar provides valuable insight into how modern TOF‑MS technologies can support more confident identification, improved data quality, and expanded analytical workflows.

Watch the on‑demand webinar to learn:

• Practical pharmaceutical applications using HRT TOF‑MS systems
• How TOF‑MS performance has advanced over time
• Why recent high‑resolution systems represent a “revolution,” not just evolution
• The role of accurate mass and high resolving power in impurity and metabolite analysis

Originally presented 29 March 2012.