Zero voltage mass spectrometry probes and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9786478-B2
Application number	US-201514957661-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2015
Priority date	Dec 5, 2014
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

The invention generally relates to zero volt mass spectrometry probes and systems. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a system including a mass spectrometry probe including a porous material, and a mass spectrometer (bench-top or miniature mass spectrometer). The system operates without an application of voltage to the probe. In certain embodiments, the probe is oriented such that a distal end faces an inlet of the mass spectrometer. In other embodiments, the distal end of the probe is 5 mm or less from an inlet of the mass spectrometer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a mass spectrometry probe comprising a porous material; and
a mass spectrometer, wherein the system operates without an application of voltage to the probe.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the probe is oriented such that the porous material faces an inlet of the mass spectrometer and a distal end of the porous material is 5 mm or less from the inlet of the mass spectrometer.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the distal end comprises a tip comprised of the porous material.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the porous material is paper.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the paper is filter paper.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mass spectrometer is a miniature mass spectrometer.

7. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a device for supplying solvent to the mass spectrometry probe.

8. The system according to claim 5 , wherein a solvent is continuously supplied to the mass spectrometry probe.

9. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the porous material comprises an internal standard.

10. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the probe operates without pneumatic assistance.

11. A method for analyzing a sample, the method comprising:
providing a system comprising a mass spectrometry probe comprising a porous material, and a mass spectrometer, wherein the system operates without an application of voltage to the probe;
introducing a sample to the mass spectrometry probe; and
analyzing sample droplets introduced into the mass spectrometer from the mass spectrometry probe.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the sample is a biological sample.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the biological sample is a body fluid.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the body fluid is blood or urine.

15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the probe is oriented such that the porous material faces an inlet of the mass spectrometer and a distal end of the porous material is 5 mm or less from the inlet of the mass spectrometer.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the distal end comprises a tip comprised of the porous material.

17. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the porous material is paper.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the paper is filter paper.

19. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the mass spectrometer is a miniature mass spectrometer.

20. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising a device for supplying solvent to the mass spectrometry probe.

Assignees

• Purdue Research Foundation

Inventors

• Cooks Robert Graham
• Wleklinski Michael Stanley
• Bag Soumabha
• Li Yafeng

Classifications

• H01J49/0013

  Miniaturised spectrometers, e.g. having smaller than usual scale, integrated conventional components · CPC title

• H01J49/0436 Primary

  using a membrane permeable to liquids · CPC title