Two Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometers

The Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (“the Department”) is seeking two Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometers for use in chemical analysis.

One of the instruments will be used for the identification and semi-quantitative analysis of acidic and neutral organic impurities in illicit heroin samples. It will also be used as a backup instrument for the routine identification of illicit drugs by the Department’s Australian Forensic Drug Laboratory.

The other instrument is required to detect organic analytes in the concentration range 10 to 100 µg/mL in a range of solvents. Full scan mode will be used to obtain characteristic mass spectra for qualitative analysis to identify the main analyte and related structure impurities in the candidate reference material (calibration standard). Matching of the mass spectrum obtained against a reference mass spectrum library is highly desirable. SIM analysis will be used to determine the isotopic purity of isotopically labelled organic compounds. Electron ionisation capability is essential and access to flame ionisation detection, run in parallel, is highly desirable.