Microstructured fibres (MSFs) for nanoelectrospray ionization (nano-esi) and chromatographic applications

我们实验室对开发用于化学分析的新的分离和检测方法很感兴趣。化学分析是各种学科(如环境、医学和“组学”相关研究领域)发现的基础。不断需要开发更快、需要更少样品和更高灵敏度的分析系统，并成为在细胞/亚细胞水平上探测生物和化学系统的关键。我们计划采用一种新的光纤材料作为开管液体色谱和高灵敏度纳米电喷雾电离质谱仪的衬底。具有许多不同孔大小和孔图案的纤维直到最近才能在商业上买到。MSF提出的多个平行的二氧化硅通道作为纳米OTLC柱的有希望的衬底，因为它们的直径接近相互作用的理想范围(1至3微米)。此外，MSF在纳米电喷雾中的应用有可能极大地改善纳米电喷雾的执行方式。传统的滴头是锥形的，因此遭受持续堵塞，并且提供非常差的滴头-滴头再现性。MSF可以通过将液体泵入纤维的毛孔来起到发射器的作用，并且由于有许多流动路径，几乎消除了与堵塞相关的问题。此外，如果每个空穴都可以充当独立的发射体，那么离子产量和灵敏度将会显著提高。因此，更多数量的电喷雾发射器提高了电离效率，从而提高了灵敏度。具有不同孔图案和孔大小的MSF将被用于制造纳米电喷雾发射器，既提高了纳米喷雾的稳健性，又增强了纳米电喷雾的灵敏度。将这些新型纤维应用于液相色谱和纳米电喷雾都有可能彻底改变这两个研究领域。

Our laboratory is interested in the development of novel separation and detection methods for chemical analysis. Chemical analysis forms the basis for discovery in a wide variety of disciplines (e.g. environment, medical and "omics" related research areas). The development of analysis systems that are faster, require less sample with increased sensitivity are in constant demand and become critical to probing e.g. biological and chemical systems at cellular/sub-cellular levels. We plan to adopt a novel optical fiber material for use as both a substrate for open tubular liquid chromatography and for high sensitivity nanoelectrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Fibres with a number of different hole sizes and hole patterns have only recently become commercially available. The multiple, parallel silica channels presented by the MSF act as a promising substrate for a nanoOTLC column, as they have diameters near the ideal range for interactions (1 to 3 µm). Furthermore, the application of MSF's for nanoelectrospray has the potential to substantially improve the way in which nanoelectrospray is performed. Conventional emitters are tapered and as a result suffer from continuous clogging and offer very poor emitter-emitter reproducibility. MSF's can function as an emitter by pumping liquid through the pores of the fibre and as a result of the numerous flow paths virtually eliminate problems associated with clogging. Furthermore, if each hole could act as an independent emitter then a significant increase in ion production and sensitivity would result. As such, a greater number of electrospray emitters increase the ionization efficiency leading to enhanced sensitivity. MSFs with different hole patterns and hole sizes will be utilized to manufacture nanoelectrospray emitters that both improve nanospray robustness and enhance nanoelectrospray sensitivity. The application of these novel fibres to both liquid chromatography and nanoelectrospray has the potential to completely revolutionize both research areas.