Development and application of novel ionisation sources for mass spectrometry/ biological chemistry

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The analysis of biomolecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acid form plant and animal sources by mass spectrometry can be challenging due to the complex matrices in which they are found. The field of ambient desorption/ionisation (ADI) mass spectrometry offers the possibility to analyse some of these compounds requiring limited or no sample preparation.To address these challenges a next generation compact plasma ADI source (termed GlowFlow) for mass spectrometry will be developed based on the atmospheric pressure glow discharge in the flowing afterglow mode design. The source will be to engineer so that it has good sensitivity as a qualitative analysis method, retaining the characteristics of a much larger but cumbersome prototype. It will be designed with a universal interface for a range of mass spectrometers and sample inlets addressing the lack of recognisable interfaces and reproducibility of existing designs.The source will be used to study gas phase ion-molecule reactions and the characterised mechanisms of these reactions will be used to investigate suitable dopants to further enhance the source's ionisation efficiency. Due to the range of ionisation processes occurring in the plasma discharge the source will be suitable for the analysis of a wide range of sample chemistries' from polar to non-polar when compared to more conventional sources.The source's ability to ionise a wide range of sample chemistries and its high sensitivity means it will find particular application in biological chemistry, as well as for small molecule pharmaceuticals, pesticides, explosives, and drugs of abuse. The mass spectrometry market is estimated to grow to over US$5 billion by 2022 and due to its compact design and integration with a range of inlets this new plasma-based source has the potential for commercialisation in the next generation of instruments. EPSRC Research Areas:Analytical scienceChemical biology and biological chemistryChemical reaction dynamics and mechanismsChemical structure