Desorption in Mass Spectrometry.

In mass spectrometry, analytes must be released in the gas phase. There are two representative methods for the gasification of the condensed samples, i.e., ablation and desorption. While ablation is based on the explosion induced by the energy accumulated in the condensed matrix, desorption is a single molecular process taking place on the surface. In this paper, desorption methods for mass spectrometry developed in our laboratory: flash heating/rapid cooling, Leidenfrost phenomenon-assisted thermal desorption (LPTD), solid/solid friction, liquid/solid friction, electrospray droplet impact (EDI) ionization/desorption, and probe electrospray ionization (PESI), will be described. All the methods are concerned with the surface and interface phenomena. The concept of how to desorb less-volatility compounds from the surface will be discussed.

Probe electrospray ionization (PESI) mass spectrometry with discontinuous atmospheric pressure interface (DAPI).

Probe electrospray ionization (PESI) using a 0.2 mm outside diameter titanium wire was performed and the generated ions were introduced into the mass spectrometer via a discontinuous atmospheric pressure interface using a pinch valve. Time-lapse PESI mass spectra were acquired by gradually increasing delay time for the pinch valve opening with respect to the start of each electrospray event when a high voltage was applied. The opening time of the pinch valve was 20 ms. Time-resolved PESI mass spectra showed marked differences for 10 mM NaCl, 10(-5) M gramicidin S and insulin in H(2)O/CH(3)OH/CH(3)COOH/CH(3)COONH(4) (65/35/1) with and without the addition of 10 mM CH(3)COONH(4). This was ascribed to the pH change of the liquid attached to the needle caused by electrochemical reactions taking place at the interface between the metal probe and the solution. NaCl cluster ions appeared only after the depletion of analytes. For the mixed solution of 10(-5) M cytochrome c, insulin, and gramicidin S in H(2)O/CH(3)OH/CH(3)COOH (65/35/1), a sequential appearance of analyte ions in the order of cytochrome c→insulin→gramicidin S was observed. The present technique was applied to three narcotic samples; methamphetamine, morphine and codeine. Limits of detection for these compounds were 10 ppb in H(2)O/CH(3)OH (1/1) for the single sampling with a pinch valve opening time of 200 ms.

Animal models to assess the abuse liability of tobacco products: effects of smokeless tobacco extracts on intracranial self-stimulation.

BACKGROUND: Preclinical models are needed to inform regulation of tobacco products by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Typically, animal models of tobacco addiction involve exposure to nicotine alone or nicotine combined with isolated tobacco constituents (e.g. minor alkaloids). The goal of this study was to develop a model using extracts derived from tobacco products that contain a range of tobacco constituents to more closely model product exposure in humans. METHODS: This study compared the addiction-related effects of nicotine alone and nicotine dose-equivalent concentrations of aqueous smokeless tobacco extracts on intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) in rats. Extracts were prepared from Kodiak Wintergreen, a conventional product, or Camel Snus, a potential "modified risk tobacco product". Binding affinities of nicotine alone and extracts at various nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes were also compared. RESULTS: Kodiak and Camel Snus extracts contained levels of minor alkaloids within the range of those shown to enhance nicotine's behavioral effects when studied in isolation. Nonetheless, acute injection of both extracts produced reinforcement-enhancing (ICSS threshold-decreasing) effects similar to those of nicotine alone at low to moderate nicotine doses, as well as similar reinforcement-attenuating/aversive (ICSS threshold-increasing) effects at high nicotine doses. Extracts and nicotine alone also had similar binding affinity at all nAChRs studied. CONCLUSIONS: Relative nicotine content is the primary pharmacological determinant of the abuse liability of Kodiak and Camel Snus as measured using ICSS. These models may be useful to compare the relative abuse liability of other tobacco products and to model FDA-mandated changes in product performance standards.

Direct analysis of anabolic steroids in urine using Leidenfrost phenomenon assisted thermal desorption-dielectric barrier discharge ionization mass spectrometry.

Rapid detection of trace level anabolic steroids in urine is highly desirable to monitor the consumption of performance enhancing anabolic steroids by athletes. The present article describes a novel strategy for identifying the trace anabolic steroids in urine using Leidenfrost phenomenon assisted thermal desorption (LPTD) coupled to dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) ionization mass spectrometry. Using this method the steroid molecules are enriched within a liquid droplet during the thermal desorption process and desorbed all-together at the last moment of droplet evaporation in a short time domain. The desorbed molecules were ionized using a dielectric barrier discharge ion-source in front of the mass spectrometer inlet at open atmosphere. This process facilitates the sensitivity enhancement with several orders of magnitude compared to the thermal desorption at a lower temperature. The limits of detection (LODs) of various steroid molecules were found to be in the range of 0.05-0.1 ng mL(-1) for standard solutions and around two orders of magnitude higher for synthetic urine samples. The detection limits of urinary anabolic steroids could be lowered by using a simple and rapid dichloromethane extraction technique. The analytical figures of merit of this technique were evaluated at open atmosphere using suitable internal standards. The technique is simple and rapid for high sensitivity and high throughput screening of anabolic steroids in urine.

Biomolecular analysis and biological tissue diagnostics by electrospray ionization with a metal wire inserted gel-loading tip.

A metal wire-inserted disposable gel-loading tip was examined as an electrospray emitter. Its performance was similar to that of conventional electrospray ionization (ESI) with a relatively low flow rate (~100 nL/min) and without the need for solvent pumps. It was also used as an emitter for solid probe-assisted ESI (SPA-ESI) (e.g., biofluid was sampled from the biological tissue by a needle and was inserted into the solvent-preloaded gel-loading tip). Selective detection of lipids and proteins, such α and ß chains of hemoglobin could be accomplished by choosing appropriate solvents. A suitable protocol for cancer diagnosis was established by this method. A good figure of merit of this method is its applicability to biological tissue diagnostics with high cost efficiency and on a disposable basis.

Trace level detection of explosives in solution using leidenfrost phenomenon assisted thermal desorption ambient mass spectrometry.

The present paper demonstrates the detection of explosives in solution using thermal desorption technique at a temperature higher than Leidenfrost temperature of the solvent in combination with low temperature plasma (LTP) ionization. Leidenfrost temperature of a solvent is the temperature above which the solvent droplet starts levitation instead of splashing when placed on a hot metallic surface. During this desorption process, slow and gentle solvent evaporation takes place, which leads to the pre-concentration of less-volatile explosive molecules in the droplet and the explosive molecules are released at the last moment of droplet evaporation. The limits of detection for explosives studied by using this thermal desorption LTP ionization method varied in a range of 1 to 10 parts per billion (ppb) using a droplet volume of 20 µL (absolute sample amount 90-630 fmol). As LTP ionization method was applied and ion-molecule reactions took place in ambient atmosphere, various ion-molecule adduct species like [M+NO2](-), [M+NO3](-), [M+HCO3](-), [M+HCO4](-) were generated together with [M-H](-) peak. Each peak was unambiguously identified using 'Exactive Orbitrap' mass spectrometer in negative ionization mode within 3 ppm deviation compared to its exact mass. This newly developed technique was successfully applied to detect four explosives contained in the pond water and soil sample with minor sample pre-treatment and the explosives were detected with ppb levels. The present method is simple, rapid and can detect trace levels of explosives with high specificity from solutions.

A rapid and selective method for simultaneous determination of six toxic phenolic compounds in mainstream cigarette smoke using single-drop microextraction followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Cigarette smoke contains several toxic phenolic compounds, measurements of which are essential from a public health standpoint. This article describes a simple and selective analytical method for quantitative determination of six toxic phenolic compounds (phenol, catechol, resorcinol, hydroquinone, o-cresol, and p-cresol) from mainstream cigarette smoke using single-drop microextraction in combination with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Single-drop microextraction was applied prior to analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the extraction and preconcentration of target phenolic compounds from raw cigarette smoke extract. The effects of the extraction solvent, sampling time, solution pH, salt addition, sample agitation rate, and temperature on the extraction efficiency were examined and optimized. The identification of each analyte was established by chromatographic retention times, analyte-specific fragmentation patterns, and relative peak area ratios of two product/precursor ion pairs. Analytical parameters such as the detection limit, relative recovery, reproducibility, linearity, and enrichment factor were evaluated under the optimized experimental conditions. 1-Decanol was selected as the extraction solvent and the limits of detection were found to be in the range of 0.05-0.3 ng mL(-1) using an extraction time of 12 min. Gradient chromatographic conditions were optimized for the separation of the six phenolic compounds in a run time of 10 min including reequilibration of the column. The present method for determination of phenolic compounds from mainstream cigarette smoke is simple and specific and shows good reproducibility, with relative standard deviations less than 10% for all targeted phenolics.

Development of sheath-flow probe electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and its application to real time pesticide analysis.

For the real time and direct analysis of chemical constituents from living beings and dry sample, sheath-flow probe electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (SF-PESI-MS) has been newly developed. The components from dry or semidry biological tissues can be extracted using the solvent and picked up by the needle for electrospray. This technique was applied to real-time pesticide analysis of living plants. The results have been validated with that of a well-known system, liquid extraction surface analysis mass spectrometry (LESA-MS). It is demonstrated that SF-PESI-MS can produce reasonable ionization efficiency, which is confirmed by LESA-MS.

Leidenfrost phenomenon-assisted thermal desorption (LPTD) and its application to open ion sources at atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry.

This work describes the development and application of a new thermal desorption technique that makes use of the Leidenfrost phenomenon in open ion sources at atmospheric pressure for direct mass spectrometric detection of ultratrace levels of illicit, therapeutic, and stimulant drugs, toxicants, and peptides (molecular weight above 1 kDa) in their unaltered state from complex real world samples without or with minor sample pretreatment. A low temperature dielectric barrier discharge ion source was used throughout the experiments and the analytical figures of merit of this technique were investigated. Further, this desorption technique coupled with other ionization sources such as electrospray ionization (ESI) and dc corona discharge atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) in open atmosphere was also investigated. The use of the high-resolution 'Exactive Orbitrap' mass spectrometer provided unambiguous identification of trace levels of the targeted compounds from complex mixtures and background noise; the limits of detection for various small organic molecules and peptides treated with this technique were at the level of parts per trillion and 10(-9) M, respectively. The high sensitivity of the present technique is attributed to the spontaneous enrichment of analyte molecules during the slow evaporation of the solvent, as well as to the sequential desorption of molecules from complex mixtures based on their volatilities. This newly developed desorption technique is simple and fast, while molecular ions are observed as the major ions.

Biomolecular analysis and cancer diagnostics by negative mode probe electrospray ionization.

We have examined several combinations of solvents and probes with the aim of optimizing the ionization conditions for biomolecules e.g., proteins, peptides and lipids by negative mode probe electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (PESI-MS). With the data presented in this study, negative-mode PESI-MS can be considered as a potential tool for biomolecular analysis and cancer diagnostics because of its simplicity in instrumental configuration. A sharper sampling probe was found to be better for obtaining high quality mass spectra because it can generate stable electrospray without the occurrence of gas breakdown. Although the best conditions may depend on each sample, aqueous organic solvent solutions, especially isopropanol-H(2)O (1/1) with a pH of ≥7, are shown to be preferable for negative-mode PESI-MS, which was successfully applied to colon cancer diagnosis.

Solid probe assisted nanoelectrospray ionization mass spectrometry for biological tissue diagnostics.

To perform remote and direct sampling for mass spectrometry, solid probe assisted nanoelectrospray ionization (SPA-nanoESI) has been newly developed. After capturing the sample on the tip of the needle by sticking it to the biological tissue, the needle was inserted into the solvent-preloaded nanoESI capillary from the backside. NanoESI gave abundant ion signals for human kidney tissues and the liver of a living mouse. The method is easy to operate and versatile because any biological specimen could be sampled away from the mass spectrometer. Minimal invasiveness is another merit of this method.

Determination of pyridine, 2-picoline, 4-picoline and quinoline from mainstream cigarette smoke by solid-phase extraction liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

The present paper describes the development and validation of a new reversed-phase liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric method (RP-HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) for simultaneous determination of pyridine, 2-picoline, 4-picoline and quinoline from mainstream cigarette smoke. Liquid-liquid extraction followed by solid-phase extraction was applied to extract the target analytes from cigarette smoke. Baseline chromatographic separation was achieved by utilizing a Zorbax SB-Aq (4.6x150 mm, 5 microm) column in gradient chromatographic conditions with acetonitrile and ammonium acetate buffer as mobile phases. Popular commercially available Indian brand filtered and non-filtered cigarettes were analyzed using the same method. The identification of each chemical was established by chromatographic retention times, analyte specific fragmentation patterns and relative peak area ratios of two product/precursor ion pairs. The limit of detection of this method ranged from 1.74 to 14.32 ng/cig using an injection volume of 20 microl. The reproducibility of this method is excellent and better standard deviations were obtained compared to literature reported values for these chemicals. RSD value is less than 9% for all analytes.

Rapid and sensitive method for simultaneous determination of six carcinogenic aromatic amines in mainstream cigarette smoke by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

Aromatic amines are one of the sources of carcinogenicity in cigarette and tobacco smoke. Accurate quantification of these chemicals is needed to assess public health risk. A new validated rapid, sensitive and analyte specific liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric (LC/MS/MS) method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of six aromatic amines in mainstream cigarette smoke using research reference cigarette 2R4F. Three popular Indian brand cigarettes were also analyzed using the same procedure. The limit of detection of this method ranged from 0.04 to 0.59 ng/cig using an injection volume of 7 microl. The identification of each amine was established by chromatographic retention times, analyte specific fragmentation pattern and relative peak area ratios of two product/precursor ion pairs. The method showed excellent reproducibility and was also rapid, selective and robust for aromatic amine determination from cigarette smoke.