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Development of a dual-electrospray ionization source with in-line absorbance-based voltage control

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Abstract

Emitter tip arrays for electrospray ionization have been used for a variety of MS sample introduction purposes, including detection of multiple sample eluent streams and improved accuracy through parallel infusion of an internal standard. User control is typically required for targeted application of high voltage to specific channels to maximize analyte signal and minimize other background signals. In this communication, an automated approach to applying electrospray voltage only when a detectable analyte is present is described. An in-line absorbance detector is used to identify the presence of an analyte in the fluidic path between the sample introduction valve and the mass spectrometer. A Raspberry Pi-controlled system is then used to apply high voltage to a downstream emitter tip at the MS inlet following a delay volume between the detectors. Demonstration of this technique on two parallel sample channels is reported, including a pulsed voltage application to maximize signal when analytes elute on each channel simultaneously.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program in the National Science Foundation Division of Chemistry under Grant CHE-2045023 (to JPG) and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship to SWF (DGE-2043212).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Rd., NJ, 08028, Glassboro, USA

    Samuel W. Foster, Deklin Parker, Christopher Piccolo, Matthew Will & James P. Grinias

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  1. Samuel W. Foster
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  2. Deklin Parker
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  3. Christopher Piccolo
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  4. Matthew Will
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  5. James P. Grinias
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Correspondence to James P. Grinias.

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Published in the topical collection Young Investigators in (Bio-)Analytical Chemistry 2023 with guest editors Zhi-Yuan Gu, Beatriz Jurado-Sánchez, Thomas H. Linz, Leandro Wang Hantao, Nongnoot Wongkaew, and Peng Wu.

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Foster, S.W., Parker, D., Piccolo, C. et al. Development of a dual-electrospray ionization source with in-line absorbance-based voltage control. Anal Bioanal Chem 415, 4147–4152 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-023-04564-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-023-04564-3

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