Thin-layer chromatography/laser-induced acoustic desorption/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The combination of laser-induced acoustic desorption and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LIAD/ESI/MS) can be used to rapidly characterize chemical compounds separated on a thin layer chromatography (TLC) plate. We performed LIAD analysis by irradiating the rear side of an aluminum-based TLC plate with a pulsed infrared (IR) laser. To efficiently generate and transfer acoustic and shock waves to ablate the analyte-containing TLC gels, a glass slide was attached to the rear of the TLC plate and the gap between the glass slide and the TLC plate was filled with a viscous solution (glycerol). Although the diameter of the laser spot created on the rear of the TLC plate was approximately 0.35 mm, the ablated areas on the front sides of the silica gel bed and the C(18) reverse-phase gel bed had diameters of approximately 1.3 and 3 mm, respectively. The ablated analyte molecules were ionized in an ESI plume and then detected by an ion trap mass analyzer. This TLC/LIAD/ESI/MS approach allowed the components in mixtures of dye standards, drug standards, and rosemary essential oil to be separated and rapidly characterized.