Interfacing capillary electrophoresis to a mass spectrometer via an impactor spray ionization source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9618488-B2
Application number	US-201514832083-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2015
Priority date	Dec 23, 2011
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a separation device arranged and adapted to emit an eluent over a period of time. The separation device preferably comprises a Capillary Electrophoresis (“CE”) separation device. The mass spectrometer further comprises a nebuliser and a target. Eluent emitted by the separation device is nebulised, in use, by the nebuliser wherein a stream of analyte droplets are directed to impact upon the target so as to ionise the analyte to form a plurality of analyte ions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mass spectrometer comprising:
a separation device arranged and adapted to emit an eluent over a period of time, wherein said separation device comprises either: (i) a Capillary Electrophoresis (“CE”) separation device; (ii) a Capillary Electrochromatography (“CEC”) separation device; (iii) a substantially rigid ceramic-based multilayer microfluidic substrate (“ceramic tile”) separation device; or (iv) a supercritical fluid chromatography separation device;
a nebuliser and;
a target;
wherein said eluent emitted by said separation device is nebulised, in use, by said nebuliser wherein a stream of analyte droplets are directed to impact upon said target so as to ionise said analyte to form a plurality of analyte ions.

2. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substantially rigid ceramic-based multilayer microfluidic substrate separation device comprises a High-Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (“HTCC”).

3. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the nebuliser is constructed with a tri-axial probe arrangement.

4. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said separation device comprises or is coupled to a first tube.

5. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said first tube comprises a capillary tube.

6. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said first tube is surrounded by a second tube which is arranged and adapted to provide a flow of liquid which mixes with the eluent emerging from the exit of said first tube.

7. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said second tube comprises a capillary tube.

8. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising a third tube which is arranged and adapted to provide a stream of gas to the exit of said first tube or said second tube.

9. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said third tube comprises a capillary tube.

10. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said third tube surrounds said second tube or is concentric with said first and second tubes.

11. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said third tube is non-concentric with said first and said second tubes.

12. A mass spectrometer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said target comprises one or more mesh or grid targets.

13. A method of mass spectrometry comprising:
providing a separation device arranged and adapted to emit an eluent over a period of time, wherein said separation device comprises either: (i) a Capillary Electrophoresis (“CE”) separation device; (ii) a Capillary Electrochromatography (“CEC”) separation device; (iii) a substantially rigid ceramic-based multilayer microfluidic substrate (“ceramic tile”) separation device; or (iv) a supercritical fluid chromatography separation device;
providing a target; and
nebulising said eluent emitted by said separation device wherein a stream of analyte droplets are directed to impact upon said target so as to ionise said analyte to form a plurality of analyte ions.

14. A method of mass spectrometry as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising delivering a make-up flow of liquid that mixes with the liquid flow from the separation device.

15. A method of mass spectrometry as claimed in claim 13 , wherein a flow of liquid from the separation device enters a nebuliser probe and is delivered to a sprayer tip via a first tube.

16. A method of mass spectrometry as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the first tube is surrounded by a second tube which delivers a make-up flow of liquid which mixes with the flow from the first tube at the probe tip.

17. A method of mass spectrometry as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the second tube is surrounded by a third tube which includes a gas inlet to deliver a stream of high velocity gas to the exit of the first and second tubes.

18. A mass spectrometer comprising:
a separation device arranged and adapted to emit an eluent over a period of time;
a nebuliser and;
a target;
wherein said eluent emitted by said separation device is nebulised, in use, by said nebuliser wherein a stream of analyte droplets are directed to impact upon said target so as to ionise said analyte to form a plurality of analyte ions; and
wherein said mass spectrometer further comprises a control system, wherein said control system is arranged and adapted either: (i) to switch the polarity of said target during a single experimental run; or (ii) to repeatedly switch the polarity of said target during a single experimental run.

19. A method of mass spectrometry comprising:
providing a separation device arranged and adapted to emit an eluent over a period of time;
providing a target; and
nebulising said eluent emitted by said separation device wherein a stream of analyte droplets are directed to impact upon said target so as to ionise said analyte to form a plurality of analyte ions;
wherein said method further comprises providing a control system, wherein said control system is arranged and adapted either: (i) to switch the polarity of said target during a single experimental run; or (ii) to repeatedly switch the polarity of said target during a single experimental run.

Assignees

• Micromass Ltd

Inventors

• Bajic Stevan

Classifications

• G01N27/622

  Ion mobility spectrometry · CPC title

• G01N27/44704

  Details; Accessories · CPC title

• H01J49/16

  using surface ionisation, e.g. field-, thermionic- or photo-emission · CPC title

• H01J49/165

  Electrospray ionisation · CPC title

• H01J49/10

  Ion sources; Ion guns · CPC title