Modular system for the direct detection of biomolecules by low-temperature plasma ionization coupled to a mass spectrometry analyzer

最近，全球现代化导致了第四次工业革命的宣布，从而产生了所谓的工业4.0。在这一发展中，能源和资源的消耗被最小化，从而产生更少的废物，并最终降低生产成本。通过过程分析对产品进行必要的在线监控。虽然在高技术制造过程中采用这种方法有许多概念，但很少或根本没有注意到低技术部门。虽然这些行业不仅是许多国家经济的基础，而且还提供国际所需的材料(如农业和食品加工)，但由于单个产品的资金周转率低，它们特别难以作为过程分析的目标。到目前为止，大多数过程分析工具都是高度专业化的，依赖于专业化的人员。对广泛适用的分析技术的需求很大。目前最普遍适用的分析工具是质谱仪(MS)。然而，MS仪器通常非常精致、笨重和昂贵。这项提议提出了一种灵活的方法，通过模块化组合的乐器来弥合这一差距。在申请的项目中，我们将示范设计和评估i)激光烧蚀单元，ii)环境电离单元，iii)离子迁移率分离器(IMS)和iv)质量分析器(MS)。模块化方法显示了几个优点：i)仪器适合于目的，即复杂程度，因此，可以根据问题设置的复杂程度来选择成本。Ii)通过正交化标准(例如IMS和MS)的后续过滤导致对单个过滤器的较低要求。因此，两个连续的低成本分析仪可以产生良好的分辨能力。Iii)各个模块化组件可以相对简单。通过这种方式，他们可以使用最初为其他应用而制造的批量生产的部件(具有更高的成本效益)。由于该项目的主要参与者是非商业性的公共机构，与目前控制质谱仪市场的跨国公司相反，我们将贡献一种可重复性的仪器设计，使我们的设备能够作为一种使能技术，以低预算的方式提供给研究团队和最终用户。这种基于公地的同行生产的概念--已经在知识创造(Wiki)方面取得了成功--预计将通过3D打印机等分布式生产工具改变经济。在整个要求的项目期内，将彻底测试开发的原型的性能，以确定植物挥发物和与农业相关的化合物、药品以及藻类碳氢化合物的能力，这些都是生物燃料未来的重要基础。

Global modernization recently led to the announcement of a fourth industrial revolution resulting in the so-called Industry 4.0. In this development the consumption of energy and resources is minimized resulting in less waste production and eventually in lower production cost. The necessary online monitoring of the product happens via process analysis. While many concepts exist to implement this approach into the high-technology manufacturing processes little to no attention is given on the low-technology sector.While these industries not only build the foundation of many national economies but also supply internationally needed materials (e.g. in agriculture and food processing) they are especially difficult to target with process analysis because of the low financial turnover of the individual product. Up to now most process analysis tools are highly specialized and rely on spezialized personnel. There is a strong demand for widely applicable analytical technologies. The currently most generally applicable analytical tool is mass spectrometry (MS). However, MS instruments are typically highly delicate, heavy and expensive. This proposal suggests a flexible approach to bridge this gap by a modularly composed instrument. In principle there is no upper limit to the number of modules an individual future device can consist of, in the petitioned project we will exemplary design and evaluate i) a laser ablation unit, ii) an ambient ionization unit, iii) an ion mobility separator (IMS) and iv) a mass analyser (MS).The modular approach exhibits several advantages: i) The instruments is Fit for purpose, i.e. the level of sophistication and, thus, the cost can be chosen depending on the sophistication of the problem setting. ii) Subsequent filtering by orthogonal criteria (such as IMS and MS) results in lower demands of the individual filters. Hence, two consecutive low cost analyzers can result in fine resolving capabilities. iii) The individual modular components can be relatively simple. In this way, they can use mass produced parts originally built for other applications (with superior cost efficiency). Since the main actors of the project are non-commercial public institutes, contrary to the multinational companies controlling the market of mass spectrometry equipment currently, we will contribute an instrument design, which reproducible and makes our device accessible as an enabling technology to research groups and end users with low budget. This concept of commons-based peer production - already successful e.g. in knowledge creation (wiki) - is expected to transform the economy by distributed production tools, such as 3D printers. Throughout the requested project period the performance of the developed prototype will be thoroughly tested regarding capability of determining the plant volatiles and agronomically relevant compounds, pharmaceutical products, as well as hydrocarbons from algae, which are an important future basis of biofuels.