Nano-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry: addressing analytical problems beyond routine.
The advent of nano-electrospray ionization (nano-ESI) has considerably extended the usability of ESI in the analytical mass spectrometric laboratory. One of the remarkable features of nano-ESI is its extremely low sample consumption. Only a few microliters of analyte solution (10(-5)-10(-8) M) are sufficient for molecular weight determination and structural investigations by MS/MS. But nano-ESI is more than just a minimized-flow ESI; the low solvent flow rate also affects the mechanism of ion formation. As a consequence, the area of ESI-MS applications is significantly enhanced. Oligosaccharides, glycosides as well as glycoproteins can be analyzed more easily than with normal ion spray. The same holds for the analysis of non-covalent complexes sprayed directly from aqueous solutions.
Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, JW Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany.
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Karas
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Bahr
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Dülcks
D000818:Animals; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D006027:Glycosides / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008832:Microchemistry / Q000379:methods*; D008904:Miniaturization; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D018401:Sample Size; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*
D006023:Glycoproteins; D006027:Glycosides; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D012997:Solvents