Ambient sampling/ionization mass spectrometry: applications and current trends

Visualizing molecular distributions for biomaterials applications with mass spectrometry imaging: a review

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a rapidly emerging field that is continually finding applications in new and exciting areas. The ability of MSI to measure the spatial distribution of molecules at or near the surface of complex substrates makes it an ideal candidate for many applications, including those in the sphere of materials chemistry. Continual development and optimization of both ionization sources and analyzer technologies have resulted in a wide array of MSI tools available, both commercially available and custom-built, with each configuration possessing inherent strengths and limitations. Despite the unique potential of MSI over other chemical imaging methods, their potential and application to (bio)materials science remains in our view a largely underexplored avenue. This review will discuss these techniques enabling high parallel molecular detection, focusing on those with reported uses in (bio)materials chemistry applications and highlighted with select applications. Different technologies are presented in three main sections; secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) imaging, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) MSI, and emerging MSI technologies with potential for biomaterial analysis. The first two sections (SIMS and MALDI) discuss well-established methods that are continually evolving both in technological advancements and in experimental versatility. In the third section, relatively new and versatile technologies capable of performing measurements under ambient conditions will be introduced, with reported applications in materials chemistry or potential applications discussed. The aim of this review is to provide a concise resource for those interested in utilizing MSI for applications such as biomimetic materials, biological/synthetic material interfaces, polymer formulation and bulk property characterization, as well as the spatial and chemical distributions of nanoparticles, or any other molecular imaging application requiring broad chemical speciation.

Ambient mass spectrometry in metabolomics

Since the introduction of desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) mass spectrometry (MS), ambient MS methods have seen increased use in a variety of fields from health to food science. Increasing its popularity in metabolomics, ambient MS offers limited sample preparation, rapid and direct analysis of liquids, solids, and gases, in situ and in vivo analysis, and imaging. The metabolome consists of a constantly changing collection of small (<1.5 kDa) molecules. These include endogenous molecules that are part of primary metabolism pathways, secondary metabolites with specific functions such as signaling, chemicals incorporated in the diet or resulting from environmental exposures, and metabolites associated with the microbiome. Characterization of the responsive changes of this molecule cohort is the principal goal of any metabolomics study. With adjustments to experimental parameters, metabolites with a range of chemical and physical properties can be selectively desorbed and ionized and subsequently analyzed with increased speed and sensitivity. This review covers the broad applications of a variety of ambient MS techniques in four primary fields in which metabolomics is commonly employed.

Direct Surface and Droplet Microsampling for Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Analysis with an Integrated Dual-Probe Microfluidic Chip

Ambient mass spectrometry (MS) has revolutionized the way of MS analysis and broadened its application in various fields. This paper describes the use of microfluidic techniques to simplify the setup and improve the functions of ambient MS by integrating the sampling probe, electrospray emitter probe, and online mixer on a single glass microchip. Two types of sampling probes, including a parallel-channel probe and a U-shaped channel probe, were designed for dry-spot and liquid-phase droplet samples, respectively. We demonstrated that the microfabrication techniques not only enhanced the capability of ambient MS methods in analysis of dry-spot samples on various surfaces, but also enabled new applications in the analysis of nanoliter-scale chemical reactions in an array of droplets. The versatility of the microchip-based ambient MS method was demonstrated in multiple different applications including evaluation of residual pesticide on fruit surfaces, sensitive analysis of low-ionizable analytes using postsampling derivatization, and high-throughput screening of Ugi-type multicomponent reactions.

Fast Quantitation of Pyrazole Fungicides in Wine by Ambient Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Fungicides are widely used for growing the grapes that are used for making wines. Chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry is usually time and labor consuming for quantitation of fungicides in wines. In this work, a simple ambient mass spectrometry method using paper capillary spray was developed for the fast quantitation of four pyrazole fungicides in wines. Direct analysis of the wine samples was achieved without any sample preparation, obtaining limits of quantitation as low as 2 ng/mL for all four pyrazole fungicides. Quality control experiments also showed adequate accuracy and precision for the analysis of pyrazole fungicides in wine products.

Exploration and performance evaluation of microwave-induced plasma with different discharge gases for ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

Microwave-induced plasma (MIP) with different discharge gases of argon or helium provides significant plasma-based ambient desorption/ionization sources, which have potential applicability in direct analysis of complex samples without any sample pre-treatment. In this study, experiments were conducted to better understand microwave-induced plasma desorption/ionization (MIPDI) sources and the corresponding ionization mechanisms.

METHODS

Emission spectra of microwave-induced argon (MIP-Ar) and helium (MIP-He) plasmas were obtained from the plasma tail flame of a MIP source. Compounds including L-phenylalanine, L-serine, L-valine, urea, 4-acetaminophen, gallic acid and L-ascorbic acid were analyzed using both sources. Polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400) oligomers were detected by MIP-Ar and MIP-He mass spectrometry at different microwave powers. Mass spectra of higher molecular weight PEGs (including PEG800, PEG1000 and PEG2000) were also acquired using both sources.

RESULTS

In the emission spectra, N₂ , H-I and O-I species were observed by MIP-Ar/He. In addition, SiO₂ , Na-I, Si-I and Si-II species were generated by MIP-He. In the mass spectra of compounds, [M+H]⁺ , [2M+H]⁺ , [M+O+H]⁺ , [M+2O-H]⁺ and fragment ions were observed. In the mass spectra of PEG400 obtained by MIP-Ar/He at different microwave powers, higher molecular weight oligomers could only be observed with higher microwave power. PEGs with molecular weights as high as 1000 Da were also successfully analyzed by MIPDI.

CONCLUSIONS

According to the different natures of the samples, either MIP-Ar or MIP-He can be chosen as a working ion source for mass spectrometry. The MIPDI source is potentially applicable to the analysis of compounds with high molecular weights, especially polymers with high degree of polymerization (such as PEG2000), which is a challenging issue for the traditional ambient ionization sources. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rapid Analysis of Bisphenol A and Its Analogues in Food Packaging Products by Paper Spray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

In this study, a paper spray ionization mass spectrometric (PS-MS) method was developed for the rapid in situ screening and simultaneous quantitative analysis of bisphenol A and its analogues, i.e., bisphenol S, bisphenol F, and bisphenol AF, in food packaging products. At the optimal PS-MS conditions, the calibration curves of bisphenols in the range of 1-100 μg/mL were linear. The correlation coefficients were higher than 0.998, and the LODs of the target compounds were 0.1-0.3 μg/mL. After a simple treatment by dichloromethane on the surface, the samples were analyzed by PS-MS in situ for rapid screening without a traditional sample pretreatment procedure, such as powdering, extraction, and enrichment steps. The analytical time of the PS-MS method was less than 1 min. In comparison with conventional HPLC-MS/MS, it was demonstrated that PS-MS was a more effective high-throughput screening and quantitative analysis method.

Metal Cationization Extractive Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry of Compounds Containing Multiple Oxygens

Extractive electrospray ionization is an ambient ionization technique that allows real-time sampling of liquid samples, including organic aerosols. Similar to electrospray ionization, the composition of the electrospray solvent used in extractive electrospray ionization can easily be altered to form metal cationized molecules during ionization simply by adding a metal salt to the electrospray solvent. An increase in sensitivity is observed for some molecules that are lithium, sodium, or silver cationized compared with the protonated molecule formed in extractive electrospray ionization with an acid additive. Tandem mass spectrometry of metal cationized molecules can also significantly improve the ability to identify a compound. Tandem mass spectrometry of lithium and silver cationized molecules can result in an increase in the number and uniqueness of dissociation pathways relative to [M + H]⁺. These results highlight the potential for extractive electrospray ionization with metal cationization in analyzing complex aerosol mixtures. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Ambient Ionization Mass Spectrometry Measurement of Aminotransferase Activity

A change in enzyme activity has been used as a clinical biomarker for diagnosis and is useful in evaluating patient prognosis. Current laboratory measurements of enzyme activity involve multi-step derivatization of the reaction products followed by quantitative analysis of these derivatives. This study simplified the reaction systems by using only the target enzymatic reaction and directly detecting its product. A protocol using paper spray mass spectrometry for identifying and quantifying the reaction product has been developed. Evaluation of the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was chosen as a proof-of-principle. The volume of sample needed is greatly reduced compared with the traditional method. Paper spray has a desalting effect that avoids sprayer clogging problems seen when examining serum samples by nanoESI. This very simple method does not require sample pretreatment and additional derivatization reactions, yet it gives high quality kinetic data, excellent limits of detection (60 ppb from serum), and coefficients of variation <10% in quantitation. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Recent developments in atmospheric pressure photoionization-mass spectrometry

Recent developments in atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI), which is one of the three most important ionization techniques in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, are reviewed. The emphasis is on the practical aspects of APPI analysis, its combination with different separation techniques, novel instrumental developments - especially in gas chromatography and ambient mass spectrometry - and the applications that have appeared in 2009-2014. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 36:423-449, 2017.

Effects of Different Waveforms on the Performance of Active Capillary Dielectric Barrier Discharge Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Active capillary dielectric barrier discharge ionization (DBDI) is emerging as a compact, low-cost, and robust method to form intact ions of small molecules for detection in near real time by portable mass spectrometers. Here, we demonstrate that by using a 10 kHz, ~2.5 kV_p-p high-voltage square-wave alternating current plasma, active capillary DBDI can consume less than 1 μW of power. In contrast, the power consumed using a sine and triangle alternating current waveform is more than two orders of magnitude higher than that for the square waveform to obtain a similar voltage for plasma generation. Moreover, the plasma obtained using a square waveform can be significantly more homogenous than that obtained using sine and triangle waveforms. Protonated dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) and deprotonated perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) can be detected at about the same or higher abundances using square-wave DBDI mass spectrometry compared with the use of sine and triangle waveforms. By use of benzylammonium thermometer ions, the extent of internal energy deposition using square, sine, or triangle waveform excited plasmas are essentially the same at the optimum voltages for ion detection. Using an H-bridge circuit driving a transformer optimized to reduce losses, square-wave active capillary DBDI can be continuously powered for ~50 h by common 9 V-battery (PP3). Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Molecularly imprinted polymers as selective adsorbents for ambient plasma mass spectrometry

The application of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) as molecular scavengers for ambient plasma ionization mass spectrometry has been reported for the first time. MIPs were synthesized using methacrylic acid as functional monomer; nicotine, propyphenazone, or methylparaben as templates; ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linker; and 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as polymerization initiator. To perform ambient plasma ionization experiments, a setup consisting of the heated crucible, a flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow (FAPA) plasma ion source, and a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer has been used. The heated crucible with programmable temperature allows for desorption of the analytes from MIPs structure which results in their direct introduction into the ion stream. Limits of detection, linearity of the proposed analytical procedure, and selectivities have been determined for three analytes: nicotine, propyphenazone, and methylparaben. The analytes used were chosen from various classes of organic compounds to show the feasibility of the analytical procedure. The limits of detections (LODs) were 10 nM, 10, and 0.5 μM for nicotine, propyphenazone, and methylparaben, respectively. In comparison with the measurements performed for the non-imprinted polymers, the values of LODs were improved for at least one order of magnitude due to preconcentration of the sample and reduction of background noise, contributing to signal suppression. The described procedure has shown linearity in a broad range of concentrations. The overall time of single analysis is short and requires ca. 5 min. The developed technique was applied for the determination of nicotine, propyphenazone, and methylparaben in spiked real-life samples, with recovery of 94.6–98.4%. The proposed method is rapid, sensitive, and accurate which provides a new option for the detection of small organic compounds in various samples.

Graphical abstract

Development and Application of a Brush-Spray Derived from a Calligraphy-Brush-Style Synthetic Hair Pen for Use in ESI/MS

The development of a novel type of a sampling/ionization kit for use in electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry is reported. Using a small calligraphy-brush-style synthetic hair pen (nylon-brush), and analogous to paper-spray mass spectrometry, the analytes can be collected, elution/desorption and then ionized from the surface of the nylon-brush. The body of the kit was produced by means of a commercial 3D-printer, in which ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) was used as the starting material. Meanwhile, a small nylon-brush was embedded inside a 3D-printed plastic cell, in which a solvent was supplied to rinse the brush by means of capillary action. The size and weight of the kit were 1 g and 4 cm, respectively. The kit is disposable and it has various functions, including non-invasive sampling, sample-evaporation and ionization. As a result, when a type of pesticide was selected as the test sample (dimethoate; C5H12NO3PS2), the limit of detection was determined to be 0.1 μg/mL. Collecting the pesticide from a leaf-surface (lettuce) was also successful. The process for fabricating the nylon-brush kit and the optimized experimental conditions are reported herein.

Characterization and application of a self-aspirating electrospray source with pneumatic-assisted ionization

A single gas-assisted electrospray ion source developed for ambient mass spectrometry is introduced in this paper. Simultaneous self-aspiration and electrospray could be achieved by using a constant sheath gas flow supplied from a mini air pump. A gas dynamic study of the spray module is carried out for structural optimization. The entire device exhibits a simplified design and has been systematically characterized through both simulated and experimental investigations. According to the results, the ion source exhibited satisfactory stability and the ability for quantitative operation in routine electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Furthermore, the ion source can be operated as a desorption electrospray ionization source to perform direct desorption/ionization of the solid samples. The versatile source described here appears to provide a practical approach to perform ambient mass spectrometry analysis with unrestricted sampling operation, and the extensive gas dynamic studies together with the experimental characterization are believed to be helpful in building self-aspirating spray devices. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rapid discrimination of bacteria using a miniature mass spectrometer

Bacteria colonies were analyzed using paper spray ionization coupled with a portable mass spectrometer. The spectra were averaged and processed using multivariate analysis to discriminate between different species of bacteria based on their unique phospholipid profiles. Full scan mass spectra and product ion MS/MS data were compared to those recorded using a benchtop linear ion trap mass spectrometer.

DART-MS analysis of inorganic explosives using high temperature thermal desorption

An ambient mass spectrometry (MS) platform coupling resistive Joule heating thermal desorption (JHTD) and direct analysis in real time (DART) was implemented for the analysis of inorganic nitrite, nitrate, chlorate, and perchlorate salts. The resistive heating component generated discrete and rapid heating ramps and elevated temperatures, up to approximately 400 °C s^-1 and 750 °C, by passing a few amperes of DC current through a nichrome wire. JHTD enhanced the utility and capabilities of traditional DART-MS for the trace detection of previously difficult to detect inorganic compounds. A partial factorial design of experiments (DOE) was implemented for the systematic evaluation of five system parameters. A base set of conditions for JHTD-DART-MS was derived from this evaluation, demonstrating sensitive detection of a range of inorganic oxidizer salts, down to single nanogram levels. DOE also identified JHTD filament current and in-source collision induced dissociation (CID) energy as inducing the greatest effect on system response. Tuning of JHTD current provided a method for controlling the relative degrees of thermal desorption and thermal decomposition. Furthermore, in-source CID provided manipulation of adduct and cluster fragmentation, optimizing the detection of molecular anion species. Finally, the differential thermal desorption nature of the JHTD-DART platform demonstrated efficient desorption and detection of organic and inorganic explosive mixtures, with each desorbing at its respective optimal temperature.

Ambient ionization and miniature mass spectrometry system for chemical and biological analysis

Ambien ionization and miniaturization of mass spectrometers are two fields in mass spectrometry that have advanced significantly in the last decade. The integration of the techniques developed in these two fields is leading to the development of complete miniature analytical systems that can be used for on-site or point-of-care analysis by non-expert users. In this review, we report the current status of development in ambient ionization and miniature mass spectrometers, with an emphasis on those techniques with potential impact on the point-of-care (POC) diagnostics. The challenges in the future development of the integrated systems are discussed with possible solutions presented.

Direct Analysis and Quantification of Metaldehyde in Water using Reactive Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry

Metaldehyde is extensively used worldwide as a contact and systemic molluscicide for controlling slugs and snails in a wide range of agricultural and horticultural crops. Contamination of surface waters due to run-off, coupled with its moderate solubility in water, has led to increased concentration of the pesticide in the environment. In this study, for the first time, rapid analysis (<~1 minute) of metaldehyde residues in water is demonstrated using paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS). The observed precursor molecular ions of metaldehyde were confirmed from tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) experiments by studying the fragmentation patterns produced via collision-induced dissociation. The signal intensity ratios of the most abundant MS/MS transitions for metaldehyde (177 → 149 for protonated ion) and atrazine (221 → 179) were found to be linear in the range 0.01 to 5 ng/mL. Metaldehyde residues were detectable in environmental water samples at low concentration (LOD < 0.1 ng/mL using reactive PS-MS), with a relative standard deviation <10% and an R² value >0.99, without any pre-concentration/separation steps. This result is of particular importance for environmental monitoring and water quality analysis providing a potential means of rapid screening to ensure safe drinking water.

A microwave plasma torch quadrupole mass spectrometer for monitoring trace levels of lead and cadmium in water

RATIONALE

The microwave plasma torch (MPT) is a low power-consumption and easily operated plasma generator. As an ambient ion source, the MPT can be coupled with various mass spectrometers and applied in real-time analysis of metal elements in water for the demands of environmental control and water quality inspection.

METHODS

We constructed a quadrupole mass spectrometer with an MPT as the ion source to detect directly trace levels of lead and cadmium in water. Without any pretreatments,water samples were first pneumatically nebulized with a desolvation unit, then flowed through the central tube of the MPT and finally entered the plasma. After that, the metal ions produced were introduced into the mass spectrometer to be analyzed via an atmospheric inlet of a stainless steel capillary tube.

RESULTS

The MPT mass spectra of lead and cadmium ions were characterized with clear unit isotopic resolution. The sensitivity reached levels of 20 ng/L for lead and 72.7 ng/L for cadmium in water, respectively. The linear response range covered at least 2 orders of magnitude. Moreover, a single aqueous sample could be completely analyzed within 3 minutes, providing reasonably relative standard deviation values.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrated that this MPT mass spectrometer is a useful tool for the monitoring of lead and cadmium ions in water, which makes it a potential alternative to ICP-MS, to be used in the fields of environmental control and water quality and foodstuff safety inspection. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Prebiotic-Like Condensations of Cyanamide and Glyoxal: Revisiting Intractable Biotars

We report a detailed investigation into the nature of products that are generated by the reactions of cyanamide and glyoxal, two small molecules of astrochemical and prebiotic significance, under different experimental conditions. The experimental data suggest that the formation of oligomeric structures is related in part to the formation of insoluble tholins in the presence of oxygen-containing molecules. Although oligomerization proceeds well in water, product isolation turned out to be impractical. Instead, solid precipitates were obtained easily in acetone. Crude mixtures have been thoroughly scrutinized by spectroscopic methods, in particular NMR and mass spectroscopy (ESI mode), which are all consistent with the generation of a few functional groups that are embedded into regular chains of five- and six-membered rings, thereby pointing to a supramolecular organization. Three different models of cross-condensation and chain growth are suggested. These synthetic explorations provide further insights into the formation of complex organic matter in interstellar scenarios and extraterrestrial bodies that might have played a pivotal role in chemical evolution.

Atmospheric solids analysis probe mass spectrometry for the rapid identification of pollens and semi-quantification of flavonoid fingerprints

RATIONALE

From allergies to plant reproduction, pollens have important impacts on the health of human and plant populations, yet identification of pollen grains remains difficult and time-consuming. Low-volatility flavonoids generated from pollens cannot be easily characterized and quantified with current analytical techniques.

METHODS

Here we present the novel use of atmospheric solids analysis probe mass spectrometry (ASAP-MS) for the characterization of flavonoids in pollens. Flavonoid patterns were generated for pollens collected from different plant types (trees and bushes) in addition to bee pollens from distinct geographic regions. Standard flavonoids (kaempferol and rhamnazin) and those produced from pollens were compared and assessed with ASAP-MS using low-energy collision MS/MS. Results for a semi-quantitative method for assessing the amount of a flavonoid in pollens are also presented.

RESULTS

Flavonoid patterns for pollen samples were distinct with variability in the number and relative abundance of flavonoids in each sample. Pollens contained 2-5 flavonoids, and all but Kochia scoparia contained kaempferol or kaempferol isomers. We establish this method as a reliable and applicable technique for analyzing low-volatility compounds with minimal sample preparation. Standard curves were generated using 0.2-5 μg of kaempferol; from these experiments, it was estimated that there is approximately 2 mg of kaempferol present in 1 g of P. nigra italica pollen.

CONCLUSIONS

Pollens can be characterized with a simple flavonoid pattern rather than analyzing the whole product pattern or the products-temperature profiles. ASAP-MS is a rapid analytical technique that can be used to distinguish between plant pollens and between bee pollens originating from different regions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Surface acoustic wave nebulization device with dual interdigitated transducers improves SAWN-MS performance

We compared mass spectrometric (MS) performance of surface acoustic wave nebulization (SAWN) generated by a single interdigitated transducer (IDT) designed to produce a progressive wave (PW) to one with a dual IDT that can in theory generate standing waves (SW). Given that devices using dual IDTs had been shown to produce fewer large size droplets on average, we hypothesized they would improve MS performance by improving the efficiency of desolvation. Indeed, the SW-SAWN chip provided an improved limit of detection of 1 femtomole of peptide placed on chip making it 100× more sensitive than the PW design. However, as measured by high-speed image recording and phase Doppler particle analyzer measurements, there was only a 26% increase in the small diameter (1-10 µm) droplets produced from the new device, precluding a conclusion that the decrease in droplet size was solely responsible for the improvement in MS signal/noise. Given that the dual IDT design produced a more instantaneous plume than the PW design, the more likely contributor to improved MS signal/noise was concluded to be a higher ion flux entering the mass spectrometer for the dual IDT designs. Notably, the dual IDT device allowed production of much higher quality protein mass spectra up to about 20 kDa, compared with the single IDT device. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Interlayer spray ionization mass spectrometry for the simple direct analysis of low amounts of sample

Interlayer spray is proposed as a convenient ionization source for direct analysis by mass spectrometry. Two slices of non-absorbent substrate hold the liquid sample to form a sandwich structure. By applying a high voltage to the sample, spray is generated at the tip of the substrate. The sampling procedure can be operated easily in an open condition and the spray is processed in a semi-enclosed condition, which leads to a relatively stable process. An ultralow amount (<2 μL) of the liquid sample can be analyzed without dilution, which ensures that the natural concentration and properties of the target are maintained. Less influence from the substrate is achieved compared with the spray methods based on porous absorbent materials, which results in a sensitivity enhancement of large molecule samples. It is demonstrated that the interlayer spray is applicable for the analysis of various compounds, including therapeutic drugs, peptides, and proteins. Good linearity can be obtained at a concentration as low as 50 ng/mL in the quantitative analysis for imatinib. We also show the ability to identify the chemical residuals on surfaces with high sensitivity by the "wipe-spray" method, which is useful for the fast screening of illicit substances. Interlayer spray working with mass spectrometry provides a promising method for direct analysis in an ambient environment. Graphical Abstract The schematic of the interlayer spray ionization source.

In situ Identification of Labile Precursor Compounds and their Short-lived Intermediates in Plants using in vivo Nanospray High-resolution Mass Spectrometry

INTRODUCTION

Many secondary metabolites in plants are labile compounds which under environmental stress, are difficult to detect and track due to the lack of rapid in situ identification techniques, making plant metabolomics research difficult. Therefore, developing a reliable analytical method for rapid in situ identification of labile compounds and their short-lived intermediates in plants is of great importance.

OBJECTIVE

To develop under atmospheric pressure, a rapid in situ method for effective identification of labile compounds and their short-lived intermediates in fresh plants.

METHODOLOGY

An in vivo nanospray high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) method was used for rapid capture of labile compounds and their short-lived intermediates in plants. A quartz capillary was partially inserted into fresh plant tissues, and the liquid flowed out through the capillary tube owing to the capillary effect. A high direct current (d.c.) voltage was applied to the plant to generate a spray of charged droplets from the tip of the capillary carrying bioactive molecules toward the inlet of mass spectrometer for full-scan and MS/MS analysis.

RESULTS

Many labile compounds and short-lived intermediates were identified via this method: including glucosinolates and their short-lived intermediates (existing for only 10 s) in Raphanus sativus roots, alliin and its conversion intermediate (existing for 20 s) in Allium sativum and labile precursor compound chlorogenic acid in Malus pumila Mill.

CONCLUSION

The method is an effective approach for in situ identification of internal labile compounds and their short-lived intermediates in fresh plants and it can be used as an auxiliary tool to explore the degradation mechanisms of new labile plant compounds. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Microwave plasma torch mass spectrometry for the direct detection of copper and molybdenum ions in aqueous liquids

Microwave plasma torch (MPT) is a simple and low power-consumption ambient ion source. And the MPT Mass spectra of many metal elements usually exhibit some novel features different from their inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectra, which may be helpful for metal element analysis. Here, we presented the results about the MPT mass spectra of copper and molybdenum elements by a linear ion trap mass spectrometer (LTQ). The generated copper or molybdenum contained ions in plasma were characterized further in collision-induced dissociated (CID) experiments. These researches built a novel, direct and sensitive method for the direct analysis of trace levels of copper and molybdenum in aqueous liquids. Quantitative results showed that the limit of detection (LOD) by using MS(2) procedure was estimated to be 0.265 µg/l (ppb) for copper and 0.497 µg/l for molybdenum. The linear dynamics ranges cover at least 2 orders of magnitude and the analysis of a single aqueous sample can be completed in 5-6 min with a reasonable semi-quantitative sense. Two practical aqueous samples, milk and urine, were also analyzed qualitatively with reasonable recovery rates and RSD. These experimental data demonstrated that the MPT MS is able to turn into a promising and hopeful tool in field analysis of copper and molybdenum ions in water and some aqueous media, and can be applied in many fields, such as environmental controlling, hydrogeology, and water quality inspection. Moreover, MPT MS could also be used as the supplement of ICP-MS for the rapid and in-situ analysis of metal ions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Analysis of Urine, Oral fluid and Fingerprints by Liquid Extraction Surface Analysis Coupled to High Resolution MS and MS/MS - Opportunities for Forensic and Biomedical Science

Liquid Extraction Surface Analysis (LESA) is a new, high throughput tool for ambient mass spectrometry. A solvent droplet is deposited from a pipette tip onto a surface and maintains contact with both the surface and the pipette tip for a few seconds before being re-aspirated. The technique is particularly suited to the analysis of trace materials on surfaces due to its high sensitivity and low volume of sample removal. In this work, we assess the suitability of LESA for obtaining detailed chemical profiles of fingerprints, oral fluid and urine, which may be used in future for rapid medical diagnostics or metabolomics studies. We further show how LESA can be used to detect illicit drugs and their metabolites in urine, oral fluid and fingerprints. This makes LESA a potentially useful tool in the growing field of fingerprint chemical analysis, which is relevant not only to forensics but also to medical diagnostics. Finally, we show how LESA can be used to detect the explosive material RDX in contaminated artificial fingermarks.

Characterization of matrix effects in developing rugged high-throughput LC-MS/MS methods for bioanalysis

AIM

There is an ever-increasing demand for high-throughput LC-MS/MS bioanalytical assays to support drug discovery and development.

RESULTS

Matrix effects of sofosbuvir (protonated) and paclitaxel (sodiated) were thoroughly evaluated using high-throughput chromatography (defined as having a run time ≤1 min) under 14 elution conditions with extracts from protein precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction and solid-phase extraction. A slight separation, in terms of retention time, between underlying matrix components and sofosbuvir/paclitaxel can greatly alleviate matrix effects.

CONCLUSION

High-throughput chromatography, with proper optimization, can provide rapid and effective chromatographic separation under 1 min to alleviate matrix effects and enhance assay ruggedness for regulated bioanalysis.

Effects of ion source operating parameters on direct analysis in real time of 18 active components from traditional Chinese medicine

Direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) provides a new analytical method for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The present study investigated the effects of key ion source operating parameters on DART-MS analysis of various TCM active components. A total of 18 active components, including phenylpropanoids, alkaloids, saponins, flavones, volatile oils, and glycosides, were examined. For each substance, the peak area and signal-to-noise of its characteristic ions under different reagent gases and heater temperatures were compared. Based on the comparison, the relationships among chemical structures, ion source parameters and instrument responses were revealed. Finally, some suggestions about choosing reagent gas and heater temperature were proposed for types of TCM active substance, which offered a reference for the application of DART-MS on TCM analysis.

Analysis of nitrogen-based explosives with desorption atmospheric pressure photoionization mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

Fast methods that allow the in situ analysis of explosives from a variety of surfaces are needed in crime scene investigations and home-land security. Here, the feasibility of the ambient mass spectrometry technique desorption atmospheric pressure photoionization (DAPPI) in the analysis of the most common nitrogen-based explosives is studied.

METHODS

DAPPI and desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) were compared in the direct analysis of trinitrotoluene (TNT), trinitrophenol (picric acid), octogen (HMX), cyclonite (RDX), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), and nitroglycerin (NG). The effect of different additives in DAPPI dopant and in DESI spray solvent on the ionization efficiency was tested, as well as the suitability of DAPPI to detect explosives from a variety of surfaces.

RESULTS

The analytes showed ions only in negative ion mode. With negative DAPPI, TNT and picric acid formed deprotonated molecules with all dopant systems, while RDX, HMX, PETN and NG were ionized by adduct formation. The formation of adducts was enhanced by addition of chloroform, formic acid, acetic acid or nitric acid to the DAPPI dopant. DAPPI was more sensitive than DESI for TNT, while DESI was more sensitive for HMX and picric acid.

CONCLUSIONS

DAPPI could become an important method for the direct analysis of nitroaromatics from a variety of surfaces. For compounds that are thermally labile, or that have very low vapor pressure, however, DESI is better suited.

(Un)targeted Scanning of Locks of Hair for Drugs of Abuse by Direct Analysis in Real Time-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Forensic hair evidence can be used to obtain retrospective timelines of drug use by analysis of hair segments. However, this is a laborious and time-consuming process, and mass spectrometric (MS) imaging techniques, which show great potential for single-hair targeted analysis, are less useful due to differences in hair growth rate between individual hairs. As an alternative, a fast untargeted analysis method was developed that uses direct analysis in real time-high-resolution mass spectrometry (DART-HRMS) to longitudinally scan intact locks of hair without extensive sample preparation or segmentation. The hair scan method was validated for cocaine against an accredited liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method. The detection limit for cocaine in hair was found to comply with the cutoff value of 0.5 ng/mg recommended by the Society of Hair Testing; that is, the DART hair scan method is amenable to forensic cases. Under DART conditions, no significant thermal degradation of cocaine occurred. The standard DART spot size of 5.1 ± 1.1 mm could be improved to 3.3 ± 1.0 mm, corresponding to approximately 10 days of hair growth, by using a high spatial resolution exit cone. By use of data-dependent product ion scans, multiple drugs of abuse could be detected in a single drug user hair scan with confirmation of identity by both exact mass and MS/HRMS fragmentation patterns. Furthermore, full-scan high-resolution data were retrospectively interrogated versus a list of more than 100 compounds and revealed additional hits and temporal profiles in good correlation with reported drug use.

Food quality and authenticity screening via easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry

This review is the first to summarize a decade of studies testing the use of easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry (EASI-MS) and its several sister techniques, Venturi (V-EASI), thermal imprinting (TI-EASI) and Spartan (S-EASI) mass spectrometry in food quality control and authentication. Since minimal or no sample preparation is required, such ambient desorption/ionization techniques have been shown to provide direct, fast and selective fingerprinting characterization at the molecular level based on the pools of the most typical components. They have also been found to be applicable on intact, undisturbed samples or on simple solvent extracts. Fundamentals of EASI-MS and its sister techniques, including mechanisms, devices, parameters and strategies, as well as the many applications reported for food analysis, are summarized and discussed.

Chemical profiling of cerebrospinal fluid by multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry

We report an accelerated biomarker discovery workflow and results of sample screening by mass spectrometry based on multiple reaction monitoring (MRM).

Heterogeneous cation induced clusters formed at surfaces of micro-droplets

A novel group of heterogeneous cations induced clusters (HeteroCICs) formed only at the surface of the micro-droplet is discovered by mass spectrometry (MS).