Empower Tip: Review Window and the Processing Method

In this tip we are going to learn how to smooth the chromatogram using a Derived Channel in the Method Set. We will also discuss the benefit of smoothing with the Processing Method versus smoothing with a Derived Channel in the Method Set.

STEP 1 In Tip 107, we saw that without smoothing, the peak of interest has a signal-to-noise ratio of 29:1.

In the Method Set, we already have a Derived Channel for the mass of interest and we will modify it to include smoothing by right-clicking and selecting ‘Properties’.

We select the amount of smoothing and smoothing algorithm on the Filter/Offset tab in the Derived Channel.

Processing the channel with the Method Set, we see the signal-to-noise ratio for our peak of interest is now 42:1.

This is the same result we saw in Tip 107 when we used the Smoothing/Offset tab in the Processing Method.

Q: When is it appropriate to use the Processing Method to smooth versus using the Derived Channel in the Method Set to smooth?

A: If you want to process all channels of data with the same Processing Method and the ‘same amount’ of smoothing, use the Processing Method. If you want to process all channels of data with the same Processing Method but ‘vary the amount’ of smoothing, use the smoothing within the Derived Channel.

It’s that easy!