Ion generation using wetted porous material
The invention generally relates to systems and methods for mass spectrometry analysis of samples. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a mass spectrometry probe including at least one porous material connected to a high voltage source, in which the porous material is discrete from a flow of solvent.
1. A mass spectrometry system comprising:
a probe comprising at least one porous material that tapers to at least one tip and that is connected to a high voltage source such that an electric field is generated at a tip of the material, wherein the porous material is discrete from a flow of solvent and the probe operates without pneumatic assistance; and
a mass analyzer.
2. The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the porous material is paper or PVDF membrane.
3. The probe according to claim 2 , wherein the paper is filter paper.
4. The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the porous material is a gel.
5. The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises multiple tips.
6. The probe according to claim 1 , further comprising a solvent applied to the porous material.
7. The probe according to claim 6 , wherein the solvent assists transport of the sample through the porous material.
8. The probe according to claim 6 , wherein the solvent contains an internal standard.
9. The probe according to claim 6 , wherein the solvent allows for differential retention of sample components with different chemical properties.
10. The probe according to claim 6 , wherein the solvent minimizes salt and matrix effects.
11. The probe according to claim 6 , wherein the solvent allows for on-line chemical derivatization of selected analytes.
12. A method for analyzing a sample comprising:
contacting a sample to a probe comprising at least one porous material that tapers to at least one tip, wherein the porous material is kept separate from a flow of solvent and the probe operates without pneumatic assistance;
applying a high voltage to the porous material such that an electric field is generated at a tip of the material so as to generate ions of an analyte in the sample that are expelled from the porous material; and
analyzing the expelled ions.
13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising applying a solvent to the porous material.
14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the porous material is a gel and the sample is an oligonucleotide or a polynucleotide.
15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the solvent assists in transport of the sample through the porous material.
16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the solvent comprises an internal standard.
17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the solvent allows for differential retention of sample components with different chemical properties.
18. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the solvent minimizes salt and matrix effects.
19. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the solvent allows for on-line chemical derivatization of selected analytes.
20. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the porous material is paper or PVDF membrane.
21. The method according to claim 12 , wherein analyzing comprises providing a mass analyzer to generate a mass spectrum of analytes in the sample.
22. The method according to claim 12 , wherein an electric field generated by the high voltage assists in transport of the sample through the porous material.
23. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the solvent forms a thin liquid film over the surface of the porous material.
24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein an electric field generated by the high voltage assists in transport of the analytes in the thin liquid film.