Hi, I am a PhD student. I am facing this following problem. I need to understand what is the way to rebuild the calibration curve in Quant software and how to optimize the method. Please help me.

I use Agilent 8890 gas chromatography (GC) coupled with a PAL Autosampler 10-uL Liquid Syringe and 7010B triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (QQQ MS), for the identification and quantification of PCBs 209 congeners in fish. Last year we analyzed our samples using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using internal standard method. This year we need to rebuild the calibration curve using the same method and same standard but we are facing multiple problems. We cannot get the high response for all the analytes. Agilent technician helped us in every ways to fix our instrument but I believe there is a problem of our understanding. 

  • You say, "We cannot get the high response for all the analytes."  Do you mean that there is insufficient overall response, insufficient response for the lowest concentration standards, or the highest concentration standards are a problem?

    Does the instrument pass autotune?  Is the ion source clean? Have all of the necessary normal user replaceable consumables been replaced? How old is the column?  Has the column been trimmed and now the peaks are out of the MRM time windows?  Have you tried running standards in MS1 Scan mode to see if there is other stuff coming out of the column than just your peaks of interest?

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