Novel ESI-MS interface with increased sensitivity

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的主要目标是开发一种在质谱仪内部运行的新型电喷雾离子源，基于小液滴和水团的内部加热。使用微滴的内部加热（与外部环境气体加热相反）将允许在质谱仪内部减压下使用电喷雾。这种离子的引入将比传统的使用大气压-真空界面的方法更有效。通过内部加热进行有效的脱溶，没有与传统大气压-真空界面相关的离子损失，以及消除由环境空气中存在的化学杂质引起的化学噪声，预计将大大提高ESI-MS的灵敏度。公共卫生相关性：质谱作为一种蛋白质组学工具在现代基础科学、药物发现和临床应用中发挥着重要作用。一种灵敏度更高的新型电喷雾离子源将进一步提高蛋白质分析的速度和特异性。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The primary objective of this proposal is to develop a novel electrospray ion source operating inside the mass spectrometer, based on internal heating of small droplets and water clusters. The use of internal heating (contrary to external one by ambient gas) of micro-droplets will allow using electrospray at reduced pressures inside the mass spectrometer. Such an introduction of ions will be much more efficient compared to conventional one which uses atmospheric pressure-vacuum interface. The efficient desolvation by internal heating, the absence of ion loss pertinent to conventional atmospheric pressure-vacuum interfaces, and elimination of the chemical noise originated from chemical impurities present in the ambient air are expected to substantially increase the sensitivity of the ESI-MS. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The application of mass spectrometry as a proteomics tool plays an important role in modern basic science, drug discovery and clinical applications. A novel electrospray ion source with enhanced sensitivity will further increase the speed and specificity of protein analysis.