Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 2006;20(21):3176-82. doi: 10.1002/rcm.2710.

Electrospray ionization from a gap with adjustable width.

Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM

Patrik Ek, Johan Sjödahl, Johan Roeraade

PMID: 17016803 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.2710

Abstract

In this paper, we present a new concept for electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, where the sample is applied in a gap which is formed between the edges of two triangular-shaped tips. The size of the spray orifice can be changed by varying the gap width. The tips were fabricated from polyethylene terephthalate film with a thickness of 36 microm. To improve the wetting of the gap and sample confinement, the edges of the tips forming the gap were hydrophilized by means of silicon dioxide deposition. Electrospray was performed with gap widths between 1 and 36 microm and flow rates down to 75 nL/min. The gap width could be adjusted in situ during the mass spectrometry experiments and nozzle clogging could be managed by simply widening the gap. Using angiotensin I as analyte, the signal-to-noise ratio increased as the gap width was decreased, and a shift towards higher charge states was observed. The detection limit for angiotensin I was in the low nM range.

Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

MeSH terms

• Equipment Design
• Equipment Failure Analysis
• Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation
• Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods
• Reproducibility of Results
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / instrumentation
• Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / methods

Publication Types

• Evaluation Study
• Journal Article
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't