Novel ESI-MS interface with increased sensitivity

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的主要目的是开发一种基于小液滴和水簇的内部加热在质谱仪内操作的新型电喷雾离子源。微滴的内部加热（与通过环境气体的外部加热相反）的使用将允许在质谱仪内部的减压下使用电喷雾。与使用大气压-真空界面的传统方法相比，这种离子的引入将更加有效。通过内部加热进行有效的去溶剂化、不存在与常规大气压-真空界面相关的离子损失以及消除源自环境空气中存在的化学杂质的化学噪声，预期将大幅提高ESI-MS的灵敏度。质谱技术作为蛋白质组学的一种工具，在现代基础科学、药物发现和临床应用中发挥着重要作用。具有增强灵敏度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.