title: Favorable effects of weak acids on negative-ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.
abstract: Despite widespread use in pharmacokinetic, drug metabolism, and pesticide residue studies, little is known about the factors governing response during reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with negative-ion electrospray ionization (ESI(-)) mass spectrometry. We examined the effects of various mobile-phase modifiers on the ESI(-) response of four selective androgen receptor modulators using a postcolumn infusion system. Acetic, propionic, and butyric acid improved the ESI(-) responses of analytes to varying extents at low concentrations. Formic acid suppressed ionization, as did neutral salts (ammonium formate, ammonium acetate) and bases (ammonium hydroxide, triethylamine) under most conditions. Two modifiers (2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, formaldehyde) that produce anions with high gas-phase proton affinity increased ESI(-) responses. However, the concentrations of these modifiers required to enhance ESI(-) response were higher than that of acidic modifiers, which is a phenomenon likely related to their low pK(a) values. 2,2,2-Trifluoroethanol increased response of more hydrophobic compounds but decreased response of a more hydrophilic compound. Formaldehyde improved response of all the compounds, especially the hydrophilic compound with lower surface activity. In summary, these results suggest that an ideal ESI(-) modifier should provide cations that can be easily electrochemically reduced and produce anions with small molecular volume and high gas-phase proton affinity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Zengru
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wenqing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Mitch A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Phelps
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Duane D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Dalton
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D000838:Anions / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000737:chemistry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011522:Protons; D012492:Salts / Q000737:chemistry; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D014270:Trifluoroethanol / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D000838:Anions; D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D011522:Protons; D012492:Salts; D005557:Formaldehyde; D014270:Trifluoroethanol