Identification of Microalgae by Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Coupled with Multiple Nanomatrices

Abstract

In this study, we demonstrate a simple method to identify microalgae by surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI-MS) using three different substrates: HgSe, HgTe, and HgTeSe nanostructures. The fragmentation/ionization processes of complex molecules in algae varied according to the heat absorption and transfer efficiency of the nanostructured matrices (NMs). Therefore, the mass spectra obtained for microalgae showed different patterns of m/z values for different NMs. The spectra contained both significant and nonsignificant peaks. Constructing a Venn diagram with the significant peaks obtained for algae when using HgSe, HgTe, and HgTeSe NMs in m/z ratio range 100-1000, a unique relationship among the three sets of values was obtained. This unique relationship of sets is different for each species of microalgae. Therefore, by observing the particular relationship of sets, we successfully identified different algae such as Isochrysis galbana, Emiliania huxleyi, Thalassiosira weissflogii, Nannochloris sp., Skeletonema cf. costatum, and Tetraselmis chui. This simple and cost-effective SALDI-MS analysis method coupled with multi-nanomaterials as substrates may be extended to identify other microalgae and microorganisms in real samples. Graphical Abstract Identification of microalgae by surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry coupled with three different mercury-based nanosubstrates.

The Effect of Light and Salinity on the Abundance and Biomass of Skeletonema Sp. Microalgae

“…Growth of Skeletonema sp. highly dependent on irradiation and the wavelength of light that hits plant cells during photosynthesis (Head of the Agricultural Research and Development Agency, 2013;Peng et al, 2016;"Antibacterial Potential of Marine Diatom Skeletonema Costatum Against Vibrio Sp Bacteria," 2006). Usually, in a microalgae culture room, the light intensity ranges from 500-5000 lux (Abrams et al, 2001;Cunningham, 1992;D'Archino & Piazzi, 2021;Le et al, 2010;Weng et al, 2008).…”

Small‐ and large‐sized iron(II, III) oxide nanoparticles for surface‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry of small biomolecules

“…Recent developments in SALDI-MS technique involve the design of surfaces/substrates for efficient detection of organic and inorganic compounds for applications including, but not limited to pharmaceutical, 14 proteomics (peptides and proteins), 15 biological, 16 and forensics. 17 Materials such as silicon-based ( e.g ., desorption/ionization on silicon; DIOS), 18–20 organic-based ( e.g ., immobilized carbon nanotubes, 21 activated carbon surface, 22 oxidized graphitized carbon black, 23 ) metal-based/metal-oxide ( e.g ., Au, 24 Pd, 25 Pt, 26–27 HgSe, 28 titania nanotube arrays, 29 TiO 2 , 30–31 MgO, 32 lithium-rich composite metal oxide 33 ), metal-organic frameworks, 34–36 quantum dots, 37 and multilayer-coated ( e.g ., two-layered amorphous silicon 38 , MoS 2 /TiO 2 /SiNW surface 39 ) have been utilized as surfaces for SALDI with advantages including high absorption coefficient for laser energy and low matrix interferences. Some of these SALDI surfaces are modified or functionalized to increase selectivity or to serve as affinity probes for enhanced MS detection.…”