Automated nanospray using chip-based emitters for the quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical compounds

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Mass Spectrometry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Traditional liquid chromatography methods can be time-consuming and require significant sample volumes.
• Advancements in chip-based nanospray technology offer potential for more efficient analytical workflows.

Purpose of the Study:

• To interface an automated chip-based nanospray system (NanoMate) with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer.
• To optimize interface parameters for enhanced ion sampling efficiency.
• To evaluate the analytical performance for biochemicals and a Good Laboratory Practices-validated pharmaceutical method.

Main Methods:

• Integration of the NanoMate system with a modified Particle Discriminator Interface on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer.
• Optimization of interface parameters for improved ion sampling.
• Infusion analyses at low flow rates (<1 microL/min).

Main Results:

• Successful interfacing of the NanoMate system with the mass spectrometer.
• Optimized parameters led to improved ion sampling efficiency.
• The methodology demonstrated efficient throughput and reduced sample consumption compared to liquid chromatography.

Conclusions:

• The automated nanospray system (NanoMate) interfaced with mass spectrometry provides a high-throughput, low-sample-volume analytical solution.
• This chip-based approach offers significant advantages over conventional liquid chromatography for certain analyses.
• The system is suitable for both biochemical and pharmaceutical analyses under Good Laboratory Practices conditions.