Mass spectrometry of humic substances of different origin including those from Antarctica A comparative study

Mass spectra of humic acids (HA) from different sampling sites (Antarctica, Brazil, Czech Republic, Mexico and USA) and origin (plant, soil, peat, and coal derived) were obtained by laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (LDI-TOF MS). Optimisation of the experimental conditions are given as the optimal value of the laser energy at 20–30% higher than the threshold. Under these conditions, reproducible mass spectra of HA samples were obtained. In the mass spectra the majority of the peaks are observed in the m/z region 100–1000 Da. Mass spectra fingerprints of HA were analyzed and, in spite of the differences in their origin, a number of common features and profiles (patterns of peaks) were observed in most of the samples. Very similar structural groups (patterns) of the peaks are present in the m/z range 717–918 Da for HA samples of quite different origins, countries or continents.

The tandem LDI-TOF MS and multivariate statistical tools allowed us to extract and elucidate underlying information contained in the mass spectra of the HA samples under study. Applying principal components and cluster analysis, it was, e.g. demonstrated that most of the Antarctica HA samples show distinguishable differences when compared with humic acids from other continents and of different origin.