Efficient and sample-specific interpretation of ToF-SIMS data by additional postprocessing of principal component analysis results

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is a powerful tool for surface analysis, but fragmentation of molecular species during the SIMS process may lead to complex mass spectra. While the fragmentation pattern is typically characteristic for each compound, industrial samples are engineered materials, and, thus, may contain a mixture of many compounds, which may result in a variety of overlapping peak patterns in ToF-SIMS spectra. Consequently, the process of data evaluation is challenging and time-consuming. Principal component analysis (PCA) can be used to simplify data analysis for complex sample systems. Especially, correlation loadings were observed as an ideal tool to identify relevant signals in PCA results, which induce the separation of different sample groups. This is because correlation loadings show the relevance of signals independent from their intensity in the raw data. In correlation loadings, however, fragmentation patterns are no longer observed and the identification of peaks' sum formulas is challenging. In this study, a new approach is presented, which simplifies peak identification and assignment in ToF-SIMS spectra after PCA is performed. The approach uses a mathematical transformation that projects PCA results, in particular loadings and correlation loadings, in the direction of specific sample groups. The approach does not change PCA results but rather presents them in a new way. This method allows to visualize characteristic spectra for specific sample groups that contain only relevant signals and, additionally, visualize fragmentation patterns. Data analysis is simplified and helps the user to focus on data interpretation rather than processing.     

Rapid Characterization of Bacterial Lipids with Ambient Ionization Mass Spectrometry for Species Differentiation

Ambient ionization mass spectrometry (AIMS) is both labor and time saving and has been proven to be useful for the rapid delineation of trace organic and biological compounds with minimal sample pretreatment. Herein, an analytical platform of probe sampling combined with a thermal desorption–electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry (TD-ESI/MS) and multivariate statistical analysis was developed to rapidly differentiate bacterial species based on the differences in their lipid profiles. For comparison, protein fingerprinting was also performed with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) to distinguish these bacterial species. Ten bacterial species, including five Gram-negative and five Gram-positive bacteria, were cultured, and the lipids in the colonies were characterized with TD-ESI/MS. As sample pretreatment was unnecessary, the analysis of the lipids in a bacterial colony growing on a Petri dish was completed within 1 min. The TD-ESI/MS results were further performed by principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) to assist the classification of the bacteria, and a low relative standard deviation (5.2%) of the total ion current was obtained from repeated analyses of the lipids in a single bacterial colony. The PCA and HCA results indicated that different bacterial species were successfully distinguished by the differences in their lipid profiles as validated by the differences in their protein profiles recorded from the MALDI-TOF analysis. In addition, real-time monitoring of the changes in the specific lipids of a colony with growth time was also achieved with probe sampling and TD-ESI/MS. The developed analytical platform is promising as a useful diagnostic tool by which to rapidly distinguish bacterial species in clinical practice.     

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry fingerprinting of perfumes: Rapid classification and counterfeit detection

A fast procedure to classify perfumes and identify counterfeit samples is described. Dilution of a few microL of the sample in a 1:1 methanol/water solution is followed by detection of its major polar components via direct infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) in the positive ion mode. As proof-of-principle cases, three famous brands of perfumes were used. The ESI+-MS fingerprints of authentic samples were very characteristic, showing distinctive sets of polar markers for each sample. Principal component analysis (PCA) placed samples of the three perfume brands in well-defined groups. Counterfeit samples were also clearly detected owing to contrasting ESI-MS fingerprints, with PCA placing these samples far away from the authentic samples.     

嗜酸性氧化亚铁硫杆菌代谢产物的常压化学电离质谱分析

本研究以721矿和745矿嗜酸性氧化亚铁硫杆菌为研究对象,采用常压化学电离质谱直接分析其代谢产物,分别考察了顶空采样( Headspace sampling)、界面采样( Interface sampling)和中性解吸采样( Neutral desorption sampling)3种进样方式对电离效果的影响。在优化条件下,常压化学电离质谱对微生物纯菌种和混合菌种的代谢产物均具有良好的分析能力,可根据获得的代谢产物指纹谱图结合主成分分析( PCA)方法和聚类分析( CA)方法区分2个放射性强弱不同区域共4类嗜酸性微生物样品,并对主要胺类、酯类等代谢成分进行串联质谱鉴定,为耐辐射微生物的相关研究提供了一种可借鉴的分析方法。     

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry fingerprinting of propolis

Crude ethanolic extracts of propolis, a natural resin, have been directly analysed using electrospray ionization mass (ESI-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) in the negative ion mode. European, North American and African samples have been analyzed, but emphasis has been given to Brazilian propolis which displays diverse and region-dependent chemical composition. ESI-MS provides characteristic fingerprint mass spectra, with propolis samples being divided into well-defined groups directly related to their geographical origins. Chemometric multivariate analysis statistically demonstrates the reliability of the ESI-MS fingerprinting method for propolis. On-line ESI-MS/MS tandem mass spectrometry of characteristic [M - H](-) ion markers provides an additional dimension of fingerprinting selectivity, while structurally characterizing the ESI-MS marker components of propolis. By comparison with standards, eight such markers have been identified: para-coumaric acid, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxycinnamaldehyde, 2,2-dimethyl-6-carboxyethenyl-2H-1-benzopyran, 3-prenyl-4-hydroxycinnamic acid, chrysin, pinocembrin, 3,5-diprenyl-4-hydroxycinnamic acid and dicaffeoylquinic acid. The negative mode ESI-MS fingerprinting method is capable of discerning distinct composition patterns to typify, to screen the sample origin and to reveal characteristic details of the more polar and acidic chemical components of propolis samples from different regions of the world.     

Molecular speciation of microparticles: application of pattern recognition techniques to laser microprobe mass spectrometric data

Attempts were made to enhance the ability of laser microprobe mass spectrometry (LAMMS) to identify molecular species in individual microparticles by applying pattern recognition methods. Principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical discriminant analysis were applied to LAMMS data for nickel-containing environmental particles. Detailed comparison of the two statistical methods demonstrated the utility of PCA. The successful application was highly dependent on the use of appropriate spectral normalization and feature extraction techniques prior to PCA. Although the test system involved only a small number of standard compounds, the LAMMS data were complicated by the effects of intra-particle heterogeneity common to environmental samples and by instrumental limitations. Pattern recognition techniques provided more accurate quantitative assignments of molecular species than were available by qualitative inspection of characteristic cluster ions or by simple spectral subtraction to compare particle data with a library of standard compounds. Results were substantiated by comparison with bulk analysis studies using wet chemical techniques.     

Characterisation of archaeological waterlogged wood by pyrolytic and mass spectrometric techniques

Two techniques based on analytical pyrolysis and mass spectrometry, direct exposure-MS (DE-MS) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), were used to characterise waterlogged archaeological wood and to study degradation patterns of wood in aqueous environments. The two techniques were applied to samples from the excavation of the Site of the Ancient Ships of Pisa San Rossore in Pisa (Italy), and data were compared to those relative to native sound wood of the same species (pine, elm, beech). Both the methods result valuable in the analysis of ancient wood artefacts, avoiding the long wet-chemical procedures that are commonly used in wood analysis, and allowing us to use a minimal sample size. DE-MS achieves a global mass spectral fingerprint of lignin and polysaccharides pyrolysis compounds in few minutes, and the results have been interpreted with the support of principal component analysis (PCA) of mass spectra. Py-GC/MS permits detailed molecular analysis of pyrolysis compounds and highlights some chemical modifications of lignin in archaeological samples, as demethylation of both guaiacyl and syringyl lignin units. Both the techniques demonstrate consistent loss of polysaccharides in archaeological wood.     

Thermogravimetry/mass spectrometry analysis of energy crops

The aim of this work was to study the thermal decomposition of different plant species obtained from energy plantations. Thermogravimetry/ mass spectrometry (TG/MS) experiments have been performed with two herbaceous crops (Miscanthus sinensis, pelletized energy grass) and two wood samples (willow, water locust) in inert and oxidative atmospheres. Owing to the large number of data obtained in the experiments, a chemometric tool, principal component analysis (PCA) has been used to help the interpretation of the results. It has been found that the thermal decomposition of the studied wood species is similar, whereas that of the studied herbaceous samples exhibits significant differences. PCA has been found to be useful for finding correlations between the various experimental data.     

Multivariate statistical methods for evaluating biodegradation of mineral oil

Two methods were developed for evaluating natural attenuation and bioremediation of mineral oil after environmental spills and during in vitro experiments. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode was used to obtain compound-specific data. The chromatographic data were then preprocessed either by calculating the first derivative, retention time alignment and normalization or by peak identification, quantification and calculation of diagnostic ratios within homologue series of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs). Finally, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the preprocessed chromatograms or diagnostic ratios to study the fate of the oil. The methods were applied to data from an in vitro biodegradation experiment with a North Sea crude oil exposed to three mixtures of bacterial strains: R (alkane degraders and surfactant producers), U (PAC degraders) and M (mixture of R- and U-strains) over a 1-year-period with five sampling times. Assessment of variation in degradability within isomer groups of methylfluorenes (m/z 180), methylphenanthrenes (m/z 192) and methyldibenzothiophenes (m/z 198) was used to evaluate the effects of microbial degradation on the composition of the oil. The two evaluation methods gave comparable results. In the objective pattern matching approach, principal component 1 (PC1) described the general changes in the isomer abundances, whereas M samples were separated from U and R samples along PC2. Furthermore, in the diagnostic ratio approach, a third component (PC3) could be extracted; although minor, it separated R samples from U and M samples. These results demonstrated that the two methods were able to differentiate between the effects due to the different bacterial activities, and that bacterial strain mixtures affected the PAC isomer patterns in different ways in accordance with their different metabolic capabilities.     

Metabolomic fingerprinting of plant extracts

The standardization and quality control of plant extracts is an important topic, in particular, when such extracts are used for medicinal purposes. Consequently, the development of fast and effective analytical methods for metabolomic fingerprinting of plant extracts is of high interest. In this investigation, electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and (1)H NMR techniques were employed with further statistical analyses of the acquired data. The results showed that negative ion mode ESI-MS is particularly effective for characterization of plant extracts. Different samples of the same species appear well-clustered and separated from the other species. To verify the effectiveness of the method, two other batches of extracts from a species, in which the principal components were already identified (Cynara scolymus), were analyzed, and the components that were verified by the principal component analysis (PCA) were found to be within the region identified as characteristic of Cynara Scolymus extracts. The data from extracts of the other species were well separated from those pertaining to the species previously characterized. Only the case of a species that was strictly correlated from a botanical point of view, with extracts that were previously analyzed, showed overlapping.     

Chloride-enhanced atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry of polychlorinated n-alkanes

The use of high-performance liquid chromatography combined with chloride-enhanced atmospheric pressure chemical ionization for the determination of polychlorinated n-alkanes (PCAs, also called chlorinated paraffins or CPs) is described as an alternative to gas chromatographic methods. Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization in the negative ion mode formed exclusively [M+Cl](-) adduct ions and suppressed fragmentation when a chlorinated solvent was added. Limits of detection were 1-2 ng/microL for technical PCA mixtures. Response factors for single short-chain PCA homologues with different degrees of chlorination varied by not more than a factor of 6.5. The developed method was applied for the determination of the composition of technical PCA mixtures as well as for the analysis of PCAs in household commodities. Medium-chain PCAs were found in paint samples at concentrations of 8.2-11.5% (w/w), compared with 7.4-11.5% obtained by gas chromatography combined with electron ionization tandem mass spectrometry.     

Stereochemical differentiation of C‐7 hydroxyltaxane isomers by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

In this study, different electrospray ionization mass spectrometric (ESI‐MS) methods were utilized to analyze several pairs of taxane stereoisomers including paclitaxel and 7‐epi‐paclitaxel. Both ESI‐MS and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) techniques provided stereochemically dependent mass spectra in negative‐ion mode, and all studied stereoisomers could be easily distinguished based on their characteristic ions or distinct fragmentation patterns. MS/MS experiments for several taxane analogues at various collision energies were performed to elucidate potential dissociation pathways. The gas‐phase deprotonation potentials were also calculated to estimate the most thermodynamically favorable deprotonation site using DFT B3LYP/6‐31G(d). The results of the theoretical studies agreed well with the fragmentation patterns of paclitaxel and 7‐epi‐paclitaxel observed from MS/MS experiments. In addition, it was found that liquid chromatography (LC)/ESI‐MS was a useful and sensitive technique for assignment of C‐7 taxane stereoisomers from realistic samples. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rapid structural elucidation of composite bacterial hopanoids by atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry

Bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs) are membrane lipids produced by a wide range of eubacteria. Their use, however, as molecular markers of bacterial populations and processes has until recently been hampered by the lack of a suitable rapid method for fingerprinting their composition in complex environmental matrices. New analytical procedures employing ion trap mass spectrometry now allow us to investigate the occurrence of BHPs in diverse biological and environmental samples including bacterial cultures, soils, and recent and ancient sediments. Here, we describe the structural characterisation using atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry (APCI-LC/MS(n)) of a number of previously identified but less commonly occurring BHPs such as adenosylhopane and ribonylhopane. Many of the structures described here have previously only been reported in one or just a small number of cultured organisms having been isolated from large amounts of cellular mass (4-26 g) and identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques after purification of individual compounds. Now, having established characteristic APCI fragmentation patterns, it is possible to rapidly screen many more bacterial cultures using only small amounts of material (<50 mg) as well as environmental samples for these atypical structures and a rapidly growing suite of novel structures.     

Thermogravimetry/mass spectrometry study of woody residues and an herbaceous biomass crop using PCA techniques

The devolatilization behaviour of pine and beech wood from carpentry residuals and an herbaceous product from an energy plantation (artichoke thistle) was investigated by thermogravimetry/mass spectrometry (TG/MS). The effect of three pre-treatments, hot-water washing, ethanol extraction and their combination, was also studied. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to help in the evaluation of the large data set of results. The characteristics of the thermal decomposition of the herbaceous crop are considerably different from that of the woody biomass samples. The evolution profiles of some characteristic pyrolysis products revealed that the thermal behaviour of wood and thistle is still considerably different after the elimination of some of the inorganic ions and extractive compounds, although the macromolecular components of the samples decompose at similar temperatures. With the help of the PCA calculations, the effect of the different pre-treatments on the production of the main pyrolysis products was evidenced.     

傅立叶变换离子回旋共振质谱法对赤灵芝的化学成分鉴定和指纹图谱研究

建立了基于傅立叶变换离子回旋共振超高分辨质谱(FTICR-MS)的赤灵芝化学成分鉴定和指纹图谱分析方法,并应用于不同产地赤灵芝样品的来源区分。样品采用50%甲醇进行回流提取后,以流动注射的进样方式进行直接质谱分析。以ESI离子源在负离子模式下进行检测,质荷比扫描范围为100～1 000 Da。采用精确分子量测定和碰撞诱导解离实验进行化学成分鉴定,通过与文献进行比对,共鉴定出63种化学成分(1种萜烯醛、3种糖、4种三萜醇、6种有机酸和49种三萜酸类成分)。采用聚类分析和主成分分析(PCA)对所获得的质谱指纹图谱进行统计学分析,在95%的置信区间下,多个批次不同产地的赤灵芝样品得到了较好的来源区分。研究结果表明该方法可实现赤灵芝的直接、快速、高效分析和指纹图谱研究,在中药分析领域有着广阔的应用前景。     

Combining desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance for differential metabolomics without sample preparation

Desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy are used to provide data on urine examined without sample preparation to allow differentiation between diseased (lung cancer) and healthy mice. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to shortlist compounds with potential for biomarker screening which are responsible for significant differences between control urine samples and samples from diseased animals. Similar PCA score plots have been achieved by DESI-MS and NMR, using a subset of common detected metabolites. The common compounds detected by DESI and NMR have the same changes in sign of their concentrations thereby indicating the usefulness of corroborative analytical methods. The effects of different solvents and surfaces on the DESI mass spectra are also evaluated and optimized. Over 80 different metabolites were successfully identified by DESI-MS and tandem mass spectrometry experiments, with no prior sample preparation.     

Classification of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry spectra from complex Cu–Fe sulphides by principal component analysis and artificial neural networks

Artificial neural network (ANN) and a hybrid principal component analysis-artificial neural network (PCA-ANN) classifiers have been successfully implemented for classification of static time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) mass spectra collected from complex Cu–Fe sulphides (chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite and pyrite) at different flotation conditions. ANNs are very good pattern classifiers because of: their ability to learn and generalise patterns that are not linearly separable; their fault and noise tolerance capability; and high parallelism. In the first approach, fragments from the whole ToF-SIMS spectrum were used as input to the ANN, the model yielded high overall correct classification rates of 100% for feed samples, 88% for conditioned feed samples and 91% for Eh modified samples. In the second approach, the hybrid pattern classifier PCA-ANN was integrated. PCA is a very effective multivariate data analysis tool applied to enhance species features and reduce data dimensionality. Principal component (PC) scores which accounted for 95% of the raw spectral data variance, were used as input to the ANN, the model yielded high overall correct classification rates of 88% for conditioned feed samples and 95% for Eh modified samples.     

In-source fragmentation of partially oxidized mono- and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry coupled to liquid chromatography

Partially oxidized derivatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are known to be important environmental pollutants. For the identification of these substances in complex mixtures, e.g. atmospheric aerosol samples, liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (LC/APCI-MS) has been found to be a suitable analytical technique. In this study 31 derivatives of mono- and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with up to five condensed aromatic rings carrying different functional groups (carboxyl, dicarboxylic anhydride, lactone, hydroxyl, and carbonyl) were characterized by LC/APCI-MS. Each substance was measured in positive and negative ion detection mode at four different fragmentor voltages (90 to 190 V). For the first time, the results show that characteristic and well-interpretable fragmentation patterns can be obtained for these classes of compounds by in-source collision-induced dissociation in a single quadrupole LC/APCI-MS system. For each class of compounds typical spectral features and optimum measurement conditions are reported, and fragmentation pathways are proposed. The study demonstrates the applicability of LC/APCI-MS for the determination of most of the investigated compounds at trace levels, and it provides a database for the identification of unknown partially oxidized aromatic hydrocarbons. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

脐橙果皮的室温和热辅助表面解吸常压化学电离质谱的比较

以脐橙果皮为研究对象,比较了室温和热辅助表面解吸常压化学电离源(DAPCI)的解吸电离特性,结合串联质谱技术,对果皮中香气、糖、黄酮类等主要成分进行了鉴定,并通过主成分分析(PCA)方法对热辅助DAPCI-MS所获外果皮指纹谱图信息进行分析,进而区分了3个不同产地脐橙。 结果表明,室温DAPCI-MS对脐橙果皮中的香气成分具有较强的解吸电离能力,而热辅助DAPCI-MS则更适合于分析果皮中的黄酮类和糖类及其衍生物。 DAPCI-MS具有灵敏度高、分析速度快等特点,有望成为农产品品质快速检测与产地识别研究的新方法。