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Development of capillary-paper spray for small-molecule analysis in complex samples

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A Correction to this article was published on 26 March 2021

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Abstract

We develop a capillary-paper spray (CPS) ion source which allows for sample separation in the capillary and enables rapid and sensitive paper spray (PS) mass spectrometry (MS) analysis of biofluids. The CPS employs a glass capillary to load liquid analytes, vertically standing at the rear of the PS. To further reduce the matrix effect, a nitrocellulose filter membrane is placed between the glass tube and chromatography paper to absorb proteins and other macromolecules, which is beneficial for the detection of the small molecules. Compared with the normal PS method, the CPS method markedly improves spray stability and prolongs analysis duration, and also generates significantly better signal intensities during the analysis of drugs, thus indicating its potential for clinical use. As a proof of concept, quantitative analysis of drugs (metformin hydrochloride and berberine hydrochloride) in serum is performed.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 21675160, 21827807, 21625504, and 21790390/21790392), and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Chaozi Liu & Yuze Li

  2. Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China

    Chaozi Liu, Yuze Li, Caiqiao Xiong & Zongxiu Nie

  3. National Centre for Mass Spectrometry in Beijing, Beijing, 100190, China

    Zongxiu Nie

Authors
  1. Chaozi Liu
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  2. Yuze Li
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  3. Caiqiao Xiong
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  4. Zongxiu Nie
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Correspondence to Caiqiao Xiong or Zongxiu Nie.

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Liu, C., Li, Y., Xiong, C. et al. Development of capillary-paper spray for small-molecule analysis in complex samples. Anal Bioanal Chem 413, 1099–1106 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-020-03072-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-020-03072-y

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