CAS: Acoustically Driven, Voltage-Free Spray Interface to Couple Capillary Electrophoresis and Mass Spectrometry

在化学系化学测量和成像（CMI）项目的支持下，西弗吉尼亚大学的丽莎·霍兰德教授正在努力提高我们进行化学分析的能力，这些分析对健康研究、监测工业过程以及许多其他研究和发现要素都很重要。具体来说，正在开发一种新的仪器接口，以有效地将能够分离极低体积溶液样品组分的工具（毛细管电泳，CE）与识别分离组分的非常强大的手段（质谱，MS）相结合。为了应对这一挑战，将溶液中的分子转化为气相离子，方法是将高频声波施加到流出用于分离的毛细管的液体上。相对于更广泛使用的液相色谱/质谱方法，该方法显著减少了溶剂消耗，从而提高了可持续性。参与这些创新研究的学生将获得关键的跨学科研究技能。霍兰德博士正在设计创新的方法，将与她的研究相关的概念融入到她的本科课程中，极大地提高了学生的职业准备。目前正在研制一种低成本的手持式仪器和配套的课程材料，供教学实验室使用，并供分离领域内外的科学家继续教育培训使用。荷兰实验室正在开发的CE- ms界面专注于声学驱动雾化，这种方法可以保持CE的高分离效率，同时电离过程不受电泳电流的影响。将声学探头与电泳地面集成，提高了界面的坚固性和易用性。通过与杜克大学的Tony Jun Huang教授合作，更好地了解声能对液滴形成的影响，旨在提高电离效率。同时，也在努力适应电动鞘流系统，使质谱接口能够用于零流分离方法，如毛细管等电聚焦和筛分。紫外-可见吸光度和质谱双重检测也在发展中。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI) Program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Lisa Holland of West Virginia University is working to improve our ability to perform chemical analyses important for health studies, monitoring industrial processes, and many other elements of research and discovery. Specifically, a new instrumental interface is being developed to effectively couple a tool capable of separating the components of extremely low-volume solution samples (capillary electrophoresis, CE) with a very powerful means of identifying the separated components (mass spectrometry, MS). To meet this challenge, molecules in solution are converted to gas-phase ions by applying high frequency sound waves to the liquid exiting the capillary used for the separation. The approach significantly reduces solvent consumption relative to more widely used liquid chromatography/MS approaches, thereby improving sustainability. Students engaged in these innovative studies gain key interdisciplinary research skills. Dr. Holland is devising innovative ways to integrate concepts relevant to her research into her undergraduate courses, greatly enhancing student career preparation. A low-cost handheld instrument and accompanying curricular materials are being developed for use in the teaching laboratory and for continuing education training of scientists within and beyond the field of separations.The CE-MS interface being developed in the Holland lab focuses on acoustically driven nebulization, an approach by which the high separation efficiency of CE can be preserved while the ionization process remains unaffected by the electrophoretic current. Integrating the acoustic probe with the electrophoresis ground improves both the ruggedness and ease of use of the interface. Better understanding of the effect of acoustic energy on droplet formation is being pursued through collaboration with Professor Tony Jun Huang of Duke University, with an aim of improving the ionization efficiency. Parallel efforts seek to adapt electrokinetic sheath flow systems to enable MS interfaces for zero-flow separation approaches such as capillary isoelectric focusing and sieving. Dual detection with UV-visible absorbance and MS is also being developed.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.