A chip-CE/ESI/MS interface based on a low-sheath-flow design has been developed. A flat low-sheath-flow interface was fabricated to facilitate the coupling with a CE microchip. The interface consists of a PMMA reservoir block, a PMMA platform and a replaceable ESI sprayer. A CE interface was constructed by using a wire-assisted epoxy-fixing method to connect a 1.5 cm connecting capillary to the end of chip-CE channel. The opposite end of the connecting capillary was tapered to approximately 40 microm od to fit tightly inside the back end of a removable fused-silica capillary ESI sprayer, which was also tapered to give a 10 microm orifice. With this 1.5 cm connecting capillary, the sheath liquid flowed coaxially around the connecting capillary to create a low dead volume liquid junction at the interface between the connecting capillary and the ESI emitter. An advantage of the current design over existing chip-based CE/MS interfaces is that ESI emitter can easily be replaced. The analytical utility of this microdevice was demonstrated by the analysis of two synthetic mixtures: a series histamine antagonists and a mixture of synthetic peptides.
Implementation of universal-at-birth HBV immunization programs has effectively reduced the occurrence of AHB among adolescents and young adults in Taiwan for >25 years, making infants and the 25-39-year-old cohort additional targets for preventing AHB.
Methodology is presented which greatly improves the sensitivity of ganglioside analysis by CE/MS without compromising separation efficiency. In this method, non-volatile additives were removed, where possible, to reduce ion suppression. Specifically, alpha-CD, used to break up ganglioside micelle formation, was replaced with isopropyl alcohol. To reduce ion suppression from sodium ions, ammonium borate was substituted for sodium borate in the preparation of borate buffer. Because borate anions were found to be essential for CE separation, a liquid-junction/low-flow interface was employed to restrict borate anions from entering the ESI ion source. With proper control over the EOF in the connecting capillary, borate anions were controlled to migrate away from the ESI ion source. With these modifications, the sensitivity of CE/MS analysis of gangliosides was improved significantly.
To alleviate ion suppression from phosphate buffer and to preserve separation integrity, a new capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry (CE-MS) interface was developed. The interface consisted of a low-flow interface and a liquid junction. In this design, both the inlet reservoir and the liquid-junction reservoir were filled with phosphate running buffer. Because the phosphate anions in the column migrated toward the inlet reservoir (away from the electrospray ionization (ESI) source) the problem of ion suppression in ESI was avoided. The liquid junction was incorporated to eliminate issues of degraded separation observed when sheath liquid interfaces use different buffers for separation and MS analysis attributed to differences in anion velocity. The utility of the interface was demonstrated by the analysis of antihistamines at pH 3.5 and the analysis of perfluorocarboxylic acid at pH 9.5.
Antihistamines were analyzed by CE-ESI-MS using phosphate buffer. The separation was performed in an acidic environment so that phosphate ions had a net velocity flowing toward the inlet reservoir instead of the ESI source. To further reduce the effect of ion suppression, the sodium ion in sodium phosphate was replaced with an ammonium ion. Furthermore, with the combination of reducing the concentration of acid added to the sheath liquid and the use of a low-flow interface, phosphoric acid could be added to the sheath liquid. Because of the use of the same counterion (phosphate ion) in running buffer and in sheath liquid, the separation integrity (resolution, elution order, and peak shape) was preserved. In addition, ion suppression was also greatly alleviated because a minimal amount of phosphate flowed into the ESI source.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.