Enhancement of ionization efficiency of mass spectrometric analysis from non-electrospray ionization friendly solvents with conventional and novel ionization techniques

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) has significantly impacted the analysis of complex biological and petroleum samples. However ESI-MS has limited ionization efficiency for samples in low dielectric and low polarity solvents. Addition of a make-up solvent through a T union or electrospray solvent through continuous flow extractive desorption electrospray ionization (CF-EDESI) enable ionization of analytes in non-ESI friendly solvents. A conventional make-up solvent addition setup was used and a CF-EDESI source was built for ionization of nitrogen-containing standards in hexane or hexane/isopropanol. Factors affecting the performance of both sources have been investigated and optimized. Both the make-up solvent addition and CF-EDESI improve the ionization efficiency for heteroatom compounds in non-ESI friendly solvents. Make-up solvent addition provides higher ionization efficiency than CF-EDESI. Neither the make-up solvent addition nor the CF-EDESI eliminates ionization suppression of nitrogen-containing compounds caused by compounds of the same chemical class.     

On the mechanism of extractive electrospray ionization (EESI) in the dual-spray configuration

Dual-spray extractive electrospray ionization (EESI) mass spectrometry as a versatile analytical technique has attracted much interest due to its advantages over conventional electrospray ionization (ESI). The crucial difference between EESI and ESI is that in the EESI process, the analytes are introduced in nebulized form via a neutral spray and ionized by collisions with the charged droplets from an ESI source formed by spraying pure solvent. However, the mechanism of the droplet–droplet interactions in the EESI process is still not well understood. For example, it is unclear which type of droplet–droplet interaction is dominant: bounce, coalescence, disruption, or fragmentation? In this work, droplet–droplet interaction was investigated in detail based on a theoretical model. Phase Doppler anemometry (PDA) was employed to investigate the droplet behavior in the EESI plume and provide the experimental data (droplet size and velocity) necessary for theoretical analysis. Furthermore, numerical simulations were performed to clarify the influence of the sheath gas flow on the EESI process. No coalescence between the droplets in the ESI spray and the droplets in the sample spray was observed using various geometries and sample flow rates. Theoretical analysis, together with the PDA results, suggests that droplet fragmentation may be the dominant type of droplet–droplet interaction in the EESI. The interaction time between the ESI droplet and the sample droplet was estimated to be <5 μs. This work gives a clear picture of droplet–droplet interactions in the dual-spray EESI process and detailed information for the optimization of this method for future applications that require higher sensitivity.     

Direct analysis of biological samples using extractive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (EESI-MS)

Mass spectrometry (MS) is one of the most widely used techniques for the analysis of biological samples. In the past decade, a novel improvement in MS was the invention of ambient ionization which stands out owing to its unique capability of direct analysis of complex samples with no or minimal pretreatment. In this review, extractive electrospray ionization (EESI), a representative ambient ionization technique, is introduced focusing on its mechanism, instrumentation, and applications in biological analysis. EESI uses a traditional ESI channel to produce primary ions which subsequently ionize neutral chemicals from the sample introduction channel through an online extraction process. When analyzing biological samples, EESI has advantages of rapid analysis, high matrix tolerance, and the ability to perform in vivo analysis. According to previous studies, EESI is able to directly analyze various chemicals in complex biological specimens in liquid, gas, and solid states. EESI can provide a sensitive and selective measurement of biological samples for both qualitative and quantitative purposes. Therefore, it is anticipated that EESI will have promising applications, especially in fields which require the fast and/or in vivo analysis of biological samples with complicated matrixes.     

Contribution of liquid-phase and gas-phase ionization in extractive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of primary amines

In this study, we investigated how binary mixtures of compounds influence each other's signal intensity in electrospray ionization (ESI), extractive electrospray ionization (EESI) and secondary electrospray ionization (SESI) experiments. The experiments were conducted using a series of homologous primary amines (from 1-butyl to 1- decylamine). In every experiment, two of the amines were present, and all 21 possible combinations were measured with EESI, ESI and SESI as ionization sources. Except for the volatility, which decreases with increasing molecular weight, the physico-chemical properties of the amines are very similar, so that the intensity ratio obtained in each experiment provides information about discrimination effects occurring during the ionization process. The results show that for the relatively volatile compounds investigated, the EESI ionization mechanism resembles the SESI-like gas-phase charge transfer more than ESI-like analyte ionization in solution. In addition, almost no discrimination effects were observed in the spectra obtained in EESI experiments. Quantitative EESI experiments with nonylamine as internal standard showed that EESI is capable of providing both more accurate and more precise results than SESI and ESI.     

Coupling corona discharge for ambient extractive ionization mass spectrometry

Unlike the extractive electrospray ionization (EESI) technique described elsewhere, a corona discharge instead of electrospray ionization has been utilized to charge a neutral solvent spray under ambient conditions for the generation of highly charged microdroplets, which impact a neutral sample plume for the extractive ionization of the analytes in raw samples without any sample pretreatment. Using the positive ion mode, molecular radical cations were easily generated for the detection of non-polar compounds (e.g., benzene, cyclohexane, etc.), while protonated molecular ions of polar compounds (e.g., acetonitrile, acetic ether) were readily produced for the detection. By dispensing the matrix in a relatively large space, this method tolerates highly complex matrices. For a given sample such as lily fragrances, more compounds were detected by the method established here than the EESI technique. An acceptable relative standard deviation (RSD 8.9%, n = 11) was obtained for the direct measurement of explosives (10 ppb) in waste water samples. The experimental data demonstrate that this method could simultaneously detect both polar and non-polar analytes with high sensitivity, showing promising applications for the rapid detection of a wide variety of compounds present in complex matrices.     

芹菜素的电喷雾萃取电离串联质谱

采用实验室自制的电喷雾萃取电离源(EESI),结合串联质谱(MSn)技术,对芹菜素这一典型的黄酮类活性化合物的质谱行为进行了研究。实验表明,在正、负离子检测模式下,该化合物均能得到较好的EESI-MS信号,且在负离子检测模式下灵敏度更高。通过对比芹菜素的EESI-MS和电喷雾电离质谱(ESI-MS)谱图发现,芹菜素在EESI-MS和ESI-MS中的裂解规律相似,但是EESI是一种比ESI更软的电离模式。根据对芹菜素EESI-MS特征碎片离子的分析,提出了芹菜素在EESI-MS中裂解的基本规律,为EESI-MS技术用于分析、鉴定复杂基质中痕量芹菜素奠定了理论和实验基础。     

电喷雾萃取电离质谱法检测1-羟基芘

采用电喷雾萃取电离质谱(EESI-MS)分析致癌性环境有机污染物多环芳烃(PAHs)生物标志物1-羟基芘(1-OHP),探究1-OHP在EESI源中电离的可行性,考察ESI溶剂和样品溶液组成对方法灵敏度的影响,初步建立I-OHP的EESI MS半定量分析方法.结果表明,溶液中1-OHP能够在EES1源中有效电离,生成准分子离子[M-H]- (m/z 217),并得到其二级质谱特征碎片离子[M- H- CO]- (m/z 189);水、甲醇、乙醇、正丙醇和正丁醇5种ESI溶剂中,使用甲醇时,离子峰m/z 217信噪比最大.样品溶液中甲醇含量越高,离子峰m/z 217强度越强.离子峰m/z 217强度与1-OHP浓度在10～200 μg/L内的线性相关性相对最好;相关系数(R)0.982;相对标准偏差(RSD)为3.4％～14.0％(n=5);定量下限约为10 μg/L(S/N=10);单次检测时间小于0.5 min.     

Continuous‐flow extractive desorption electrospray ionization coupled to normal phase separations and for direct lipid analysis from cell extracts

Normal phase liquid chromatography is a common mode for chiral separations. Many chiral amines are used as drugs or are important intermediates for drug synthesis. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry is well known for its high sensitivity. However, when using normal phase liquid chromatography, electrospray ionization is hampered by the poor ionization efficiency of analytes from organic eluents. Continuous‐flow extractive desorption electrospray ionization, which introduces the eluents through a hypodermic needle into the electrospray plume is demonstrated here for its success to interface normal phase liquid chromatography to mass spectrometry detection. Such an approach was shown to be as or more sensitive than ultraviolet detection for a selected set of aromatic amine‐functionalized enantiomers. Also demonstrated is the direct infusion of cell extracts to monitor phospholipids from three different bacterial cells. Despite their presence in non‐electrospray‐ionization‐friendly extraction solvents, continuous‐flow extractive desorption electrospray ionization enabled the sensitive detection of phospholipids and the ability to tune ion forms through incorporation of different spray modifiers.     

A corona discharge initiated electrochemical electrospray ionization technique

We report here the development of a corona discharge (CD) initiated electrochemical (EC) electrospray ionization (ESI) technique using a standard electrospray ion source. This is a new ionization technique distinct from ESI, electrochemistry inherent to ESI, APCI, and techniques using hydroxyl radicals produced under atmospheric pressure conditions. By maximizing the observable CD at the tip of a stainless steel ESI capillary, efficient electrochemical oxidation of electrochemically active compounds is observed. For electrochemical oxidation to be observed, the ionization potential of the analyte must be lower than Fe. Ferrocene labeled compounds were chosen as the electrochemically active moiety. The electrochemical cell in the ESI source was robust, and generated ions with selectivity according to the ionization potential of the analytes and up to zeptomolar sensitivity. Our results indicate that CD initiated electrochemical ionization has the potential to become a powerful technique to increase the dynamic range, sensitivity, and selectivity of ESI experiments.     

Use of an Open Port Sampling Interface Coupled to Electrospray Ionization for the On-Line Analysis of Organic Aerosol Particles

A simple design for an open port sampling interface coupled to electrospray ionization (OPSI-ESI) is presented for the analysis of organic aerosols. The design uses minimal modifications to a Bruker electrospray (ESI) emitter to create a continuous flow, self-aspirating open port sampling interface. Considerations are presented for introducing aerosol to the open port sampling interface including aerosol gas flow and solvent flow rates. The device has been demonstrated for use with an aerosol of nicotine as well as aerosol formed in the pyrolysis of biomass. Upon comparison with extractive electrospray ionization (EESI), this device has similar sensitivity with increased reproducibility by nearly a factor of three. The device has the form factor of a standard Bruker/Agilent ESI emitter and can be used without any further instrument modifications.

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Ion-ion reactions for charge reduction of biopolymer at atmospheric pressure ambient

Extractive electrospray ionization source(EESI)was adapted for ion-ion reaction,which was demonstrated by using a linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer for the first ion-ion reaction of biopolymers in the atmospheric pressure ambient.     

On-line reaction monitoring by extractive electrospray ionisation

The design and development of a novel extractive electrospray ionisation (EESI) device for on-line reaction monitoring is described. The EESI apparatus uses a secondary, grounded nebuliser to produce an analyte aerosol and a Venturi pump is then used to transfer a sample of the aerosol to an electrospray source where it is ionised. The EESI apparatus was then tested with a variety of small, organic molecules to assess sensitivity, linearity and dynamic range. The performance of the technique will depend on the mass spectrometer used for the experiments; in the configurations used here it has a usable dynamic range of around 3.5 orders of magnitude with a linear range of around 2.5 orders of magnitude and is capable of analysing species present down to low μg/mL with signal-to-noise ratio greater than 2.5. The use of EESI for reaction monitoring was validated using a series of mock reaction mixtures and then used to monitor the base hydrolysis of ethyl salicylate to salicylic acid.     

Hyphenation of centrifugal partition chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry using an active flow‐splitter device for characterization of flavonol glycosides

Online coupling of centrifugal partition chromatography to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (CPC/ESI‐MS) was investigated for the separation and characterization of flavonol glycosides. Structural identification and purification monitoring of analytes on milligram scale were demonstrated to be possible by using an active flow‐splitter device which transfers automatically and successively, at discrete frequencies, small aliquots of the chromatographic effluent to an independent auxiliary stream directed to an ESI quadrupole mass spectrometer. The CPC protocol used a biphasic solvent system composed of ethyl acetate/ethanol/water (4.5:1:4.5, v/v/v) in isocratic mode. During the separation process, continuous acquisition of mass spectral data of the isolated flavonols from the effluent was performed in the negative ion mode with an auxiliary stream composed of 50 mM ammonium acetate/ethanol (2:8, v/v) delivered by a secondary pump. To demonstrate the potential of this hyphenated technique, flavonol glycosides from an apple peel extract were identified, purified and quantitatively analyzed. Calibration curves and limits of detection are also detailed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A comparative study of the electrospray ionization response of β‐O‐4′ lignin model compounds

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry has recently become the technique of choice for rapid characterization of lignin degradation products. However, the fundamental question of the relationship between lignin structure and ionization efficiency has not been explored. In this work, we studied the electrospray ionization response of five structurally similar β‐O‐4′ model lignin compounds using lithium cationization in the positive electrospray ionization mode. The studied compounds have the same β‐O‐4′ backbone structure but differ at the α‐position by increasing nonpolar side chains. Our results show a correlation between the ionization response and the length of the nonpolar side chain, with analytes having the longest side chain recording the highest ESI response in the full scan mode. Factors affecting the formation of analyte ions and analyte cluster ions were also studied. We have shown for the first time in this work that the introduction of a nonpolar group onto a β‐O‐4′ lignin compound can increase the lithium cationization ESI response in the positive ion mode.     

Direct Determination of Creatinine in Urine and Analysis of Pure Aniline by Extractive Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

The direct mass spectrometric determination of highly concentrated analytes in human urine was demonstrated using extractive electrospray ionization without sample dilution or complex preparation. By increasing the distance between the extractive electrospray source and ion inlet of the mass spectrometer from 5 millimeters to 15 centimeters, the fraction of free analyte ions and charged microdroplets introduced into the mass spectrometer was substantially reduced. Consequently, detector saturation, instrument contamination, and space charge effects were greatly diminished for the analysis of highly concentrated samples. Under the optimized experimental conditions, pure aniline and creatinine (>1 millimolar) in human urine were directly characterized by extractive electrospray ionization without any pretreatment. The urinary creatinine concentrations from two adults were 424 ± 30 and 635 ± 32 micrograms per milliliter and were in good agreement with those obtained by a spectrophotometric method based on the Jaffe reaction. The results show that extractive electrospray ionization is suitable for the direct determination of highly concentrated analytes or even pure compounds, allowing rapid characterization of samples in the chemical industry and clinical studies.     

Artifacts in amine analysis from anodic oxidation of organic solvents upon electrospray ionization for mass spectrometry

Different phenylenediamines were used to explore anodic oxidation in solution during electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry analysis. In our experiments, a series of unknown ionic species was detected in the phenylenediamine solutions. Our results propose that reactions of phenylenediamines with species formed by anodic oxidation of typical ESI solvents during the electrospray ionization process such as formaldehyde are producing these peaks. Identification of these compounds inter alia suggests formal alkylation, a reaction not reported so far as a result of electrolytic oxidation in the prospective organic solvents.     

Triboelectric spray ionization

Triboelectric spray ionization (TESI) is a variation of electrospray ionization (ESI) using common instrumental components, including gas flow, solvent flow rate and heat, the only difference being the use of a high‐voltage power supply for ESI or a static charge for TESI. The ionization of solvent or analyte is due to the electrostatic potential difference formed between the spray electrode and counter electrode. The ion source contains a pneumatic spray operated over a range of flow rates (0.15–1.5 µl/min) and gas pressures (0–100). This new design contains a standalone spray assembly and an optional metal mesh in front of the spray. There are several parameters that affect the performance during ionization of molecules including the flow rate of solvent, gas pressure, temperature, solvent acidity, distance and potential difference between emitter and counter electrode. A variable electrostatic potential can be applied for higher ionization efficiency. The new ionization method was successfully applied to solutions of various proteins under different conditions. The same charge‐state distributions compared to other ESI techniques are observed for all the protein samples. The unique feature of TESI is very efficient spraying by using a natural electrostatic potential even at the potential that a human body can produce. This provides very gentle ionization efficiency of peptides and proteins in different solvents. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Real‐time reaction monitoring by probe electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Probe electrospray ionization (PESI) is a modified version of the electrospray ionization (ESI), where the capillary for sampling and spraying is replaced by a solid needle. High tolerance to salts and direct ambient sampling are major advantages of PESI compared with conventional ESI. In this study, PESI‐MS was used to monitor some biological and chemical reactions in real‐time, such as acid‐induced protein denaturation, hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) of peptides, and Schiff base formation. By using PESI‐MS, time‐resolved mass spectra and ion chromatograms can be obtained reproducibly. Real‐time PESI‐MS monitoring can give direct and detailed information on each chemical species taking part in reactions, and this is valuable for a better understanding of the whole reaction process and for the optimization of reaction parameters. PESI‐MS can be considered as a potential tool for real‐time reaction monitoring due to its simplicity in instrumental setup, direct sampling with minimum sample preparation and low sample consumption. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Efficient electrospray ionization from polymer microchannels using integrated hydrophobic membranes

A simple process for realizing stable and reliable electrospray ionization (ESI) tips in polymer microfluidic systems is described. The process is based on the addition of a thin hydrophobic membrane at the microchannel exit to constrain lateral dispersion of the Taylor cone formed during ESI. Using this approach, ESI chips are shown to exhibit well-defined Taylor cones at flow rates as low as 80 nL min(-1) through optical imaging. Furthermore, stable electrospray current has been measured for flow rates as low as 10 nL min(-1) over several hours of continuous operation. Characterization of the electrospray process by optical and electrical monitoring of fabricated ESI chips is reported, together with mass spectrometry validation using myoglobin as a model protein. The novel process offers the potential for low-cost, direct interfacing of disposable polymer microfluidic separation platforms to mass spectrometry.     

Reactive desorption electrospray ionization for rapid screening of guests for supramolecular inclusion complexes

Reactive desorption electrospray ionization (DESI), an ambient technique, has been explored as a tool for the development of a fast screening approach for supramolecular complexes capitalizing on the specificity of mass spectrometric detection. A library of twelve potential guests for inclusion by a β‐cyclodextrin host was initially screened via DESI using a spray solution incorporating the host directed toward an array of deposited guests. The steroid nortestosterone was used to verify the applicability of reactive DESI for complexation experiments with β‐cyclodextrin. Results from the DESI experiment and results from an analogous electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectral screen were compared with solution‐phase data obtained by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The complexes detected using DESI were identical to those determined using NMR, validating the applicability of the technique to supramolecular applications, but the ESI data exhibited significant disparities, predominantly due to the interference of nonspecific artifacts. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.