title: Surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI-MS) of low molecular weight organic compounds and synthetic polymers using zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles.
abstract: We have developed surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry using zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with anisotropic shapes (ZnO-SALDI-MS). The mass spectra showed low background noises in the low m/z, i.e. less than 500 u region. Thus, we succeeded in SALDI ionization on low molecular weight organic compounds, such as verapamil hydrochloride, testosterone, and polypropylene glycol (PPG) (average molecular weight 400) without using a liquid matrix or buffers such as citric acids. In addition, we found that ZnO-SALDI has advantages in post-source decay (PSD) analysis and produced a simple mass spectrum for phospholipids. The ZnO-SALDI spectra for synthetic polymers of polyethylene glycol (PEG), polystyrene (PS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) showed the sensitivity and molecular weight distribution to be comparable to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) spectra with a 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) matrix. ZnO-SALDI shows good performance for synthetic polymers as well as low molecular weight organic compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Kansai University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Takehiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Hideya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: Tetsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yonezawa
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arakawa
mesh_terms: D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry; D019946:Propylene Glycol / Q000737:chemistry; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000737:chemistry; D014700:Verapamil / Q000737:chemistry; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; D011108:Polymers; D011137:Polystyrenes; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D013739:Testosterone; D019946:Propylene Glycol; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D014700:Verapamil; D015034:Zinc Oxide