TCNJ Home : School of Science : Dept. of Chemistry : Forensic Chemistry : Forensic Chem @ TCNJ : CHE-360 Syllabus

Forensic Applications of Mass Spectrometry: Syllabus

Professor John Allison, presiding

phone:  609.771.3290

e-mail:  allison@tcnj.edu

Scheduled Class Time:

            Mondays and Thursdays, 8:00 - 9:20 AM - lectures in Room 122A

            Laboratory:  Mondays, 9:30 - 12:20 in Room C-216

Textbook:  Understanding Mass Spectra:  A Basic Approach

            Second Edition, R. Martin Smith, Wiley Interscience 2004

This course is designed to introduce students to the concepts of mass spectrometry - instrumentation and mass spectral interpretation - with forensic applications.  No prior knowledge of mass spectrometry is required, however the course will build on basic concepts from physics, physical chemistry, and organic chemistry.  If you feel that your background is weak in one of these areas, the instructor can direct you to appropriate texts.

The course grade will be based on homework, hourly exams, and class participation.

Two exams will be given - a midterm exam and a final exam.  Each exam will be 15% of the Final Course Grade.

Homework performance will constitute 30% of the final course grade.

“Thursdays” will constitute 20% of the Final Course Grade.

                                    Exams  2 x 15%                       30%

                                    Homework                               30%

                                    Thursdays                               20%

                                    LAB                                        20%

                                    TOTAL                                    100%

The “Thursdays” Grade:  The associated points indicate that this part of the course is important.  It will not be productive and useful unless all students attend, are on time, and actively participate and work during the period.  Each student begins with 20 points.  If students choose not to attend or are late, they may lose 2 points each week and can lose up to 15 of the 20 points.  The remaining 5 points will be assigned by the instructor, representing willingness and participation on Thursdays.

The course will cover as many of the topics listed below as time permits, in approximately the order listed. 

Part I

Brief History/Overview

Hardware

            Sample Introduction

            Ion Sources

            Fields, Forces and Motion

            Sector Instruments and Quadrupoles

            Detectors

            Resolution

Ions Formed in Mass Spectrometry

            Electron Impact Ionization

            Vocabulary Used

            Isotopes and Isotope Calculators

            Structural Clues

            Fragmentation Chemistry

GC/MS

Part II - A Transition Topic

            Chemical Ionization

Part III - Analysis of Large Molecules

            Desorption Ionization Methods

            Fast Atom Bombardment with Sector Instruments

                        New Mass Limits

                        Fragmentation of Peptides

            Electrospray Ionization with Quadrupole Mass Filters

                        Multiply-Charged Ions

            Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization

                        Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

                        MALDI matrices and applications

            Protein Analysis and the WWW