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Matrix Segregation as the Major Cause for Sample Inhomogeneity in MALDI Dried Droplet Spots

  • Research Article
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Journal of The American Society for Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

The segregation in dried droplet MALDI sample spots was analyzed with regard to the matrix-to-sample ratio using optical microscopy, MALDI imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI MSI) and IR imaging spectroscopy. In this context, different polymer/matrix/solvent systems usually applied in the analysis of synthetic polymers were investigated. The use of typical matrix concentrations (10 mg mL−1) in almost every case resulted in ring patterns, whereas higher concentrated matrix solutions always led to homogeneous sample spot layers. The data revealed that segregation is predominantly caused by matrix transport in the drying droplet, whereas polymer segregation seems to be only secondary.

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Acknowledgment

Generous support by the German Research Foundation (DFG WE 2493) is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), D-12489, Berlin, Germany

    Stefan J. Gabriel, Ulrich Panne & Steffen M. Weidner

  2. Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, A-4040, Linz, Austria

    Clemens Schwarzinger & Bettina Schwarzinger

  3. Department of Chemistry, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-12489, Berlin, Germany

    Ulrich Panne

Authors
  1. Stefan J. Gabriel
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  2. Clemens Schwarzinger
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  3. Bettina Schwarzinger
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  4. Ulrich Panne
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  5. Steffen M. Weidner
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Correspondence to Steffen M. Weidner.

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Gabriel, S.J., Schwarzinger, C., Schwarzinger, B. et al. Matrix Segregation as the Major Cause for Sample Inhomogeneity in MALDI Dried Droplet Spots. J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 25, 1356–1363 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13361-014-0913-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13361-014-0913-0

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