Biases in Ion Transmission Through an Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry Capillary Inlet

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2009 · Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 20(12):2265-2272

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasms.2009.08.018· OSTI ID:972547

Page, Jason S; Marginean, Ioan; Baker, Erin Shammel; Kelly, Ryan T; Tang, Keqi; Smith, Richard D

The standard heated capillary inlet of an electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) interface was compared with shorter versions of the inlet to determine the effects on transmission and ionization efficiencies for low-flow electrosprays. The primary finding of the study was a large bias towards higher mobility species in the electrospray current losses to the inside walls of the inlet. The transmission efficiency increased with decreasing capillary length due to reduced losses along the capillary. A decrease in transmission efficiency was also confirmed for electrosprays of higher conductivity solvents. A direct correlation between mass spectrometry sensitivity and the transmitted electrospray current was not observed as some analytes showed little to no increase in sensitivity while others showed as high as a 15 – fold increase. The variation was shown to at least be partially dependent on the analytes’ mobilities. Higher mobility analytes demonstrated a larger increase in sensitivity when shorter inlets were used. The results indicate that considerable biases against higher mobility species can be produced by the use of long capillary inlets in the ESI-MS interface and strategies are provided to minimize the bias against higher mobility species for efficient ion transmission through the heated capillary interface.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US), Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 972547
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-66725; 24698; 17797; KP1704020
• Journal Information: Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 20(12):2265-2272, Journal Name: Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 20(12):2265-2272 Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 20; ISSN JAMSEF; ISSN 1044-0305
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
CAPILLARY FLOW
EFFICIENCY
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
ION MOBILITY
IONIZATION
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
PERFORMANCE
SENSITIVITY
SOLVENTS
SPRAYS