Electron Capture Dissociation

Electron capture dissociation (ECD) is a method for fragmenting ions in the tandem mass spectrometry.

Be generated by an emitter cathode, electrons with low energy. These are captured by multiple protonated molecules in the gas phase, with reduced free radical cations [M nH ] (n -1) · arise. This rapidly disintegrate into smaller fragments.

ECD produces significantly different fragment ions than fragmentation methods such as collision - induced dissociation (CID ) or infrared multiphoton dissociation ( IRMPD ). These methods increase the internal vibration energy of an ion - in contrast to the ECD. ECD is mainly used in the study of proteins in the FT -ICR -MS. A disadvantage of this method is the low yield.