Folded emitters for nanoelectrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Mass Spectrometry

Background:

• Electrospray ionization (ESI) is crucial for mass spectrometry (MS) analysis of macromolecules.
• Nano-ESI-MS enhances sensitivity for small-volume samples but relies on expensive, difficult-to-fabricate glass emitters.
• Traditional emitters face issues like clogging, contamination, and unstable spray performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a new, cost-effective emitter for nano-ESI-MS.
• To demonstrate the ease of fabrication and use of the novel emitter.
• To evaluate the performance of the new emitter for various analytes.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of emitters by folding polyimide tape.
• Evaluation of emitter performance using diverse analytes (small molecules, peptides, proteins, synthetic polymers).
• Comparison with conventional pulled-glass capillary emitters in nano-ESI-MS.

Main Results:

• The polyimide tape emitters are inexpensive and simple to produce.
• These emitters are disposable, eliminating clogging and contamination issues.
• Performance is comparable to glass emitters across a wide range of analytes.

Conclusions:

• Polyimide tape emitters offer a practical, low-cost alternative for nano-ESI-MS.
• The disposable nature enhances reliability and simplifies experimental workflows.
• This innovation broadens accessibility to sensitive mass spectrometry analysis.