B₄C-Assisted Paper Spray Ionization Mass Spectrometry.

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Paper spray ionization (PSI) is a versatile ambient ionization technique.
• Analyzing organic molecules, such as bisphenols and pharmaceuticals, requires sensitive detection methods.
• Developing new materials to enhance ionization efficiency is crucial for PSI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the application of boron carbide (B4C) as a novel material in paper spray ionization.
• To evaluate the performance of B4C-modified PSI for the analysis of organic molecules in both positive and negative modes.
• To assess the sensitivity, linearity, and applicability of the method for real-world sample analysis.

Main Methods:

• Boron carbide (B4C) was utilized as the material for paper spray ionization.
• Analysis of various organic molecules, including bisphenols and drugs, was performed.
• Signal enhancement, limit of detection (LOD), linearity, and recovery rates were evaluated.

Main Results:

• B4C significantly enhanced signal responses for organic molecules by 2-4 times.
• Achieved LODs of 1 μg/mL for bisphenol AF and 0.5 μg/mL for nilotinib.
• Established linear relationships for bisphenol AF within a 1-100 μg/mL range with strong correlation.
• Demonstrated high recovery rates (up to 98.8%) for bisphenol AF in water samples without pretreatment.

Conclusions:

• Boron carbide is a promising material for enhancing paper spray ionization efficiency.
• The B4C-modified PSI method offers sensitive and reliable analysis of organic pollutants.
• This technique shows potential for environmental monitoring and other analytical applications.