title: Nanoengineered micro gold shells for LDI-TOF analysis of small molecules.
abstract: This paper reports on analyses of small molecules with laser desorption/ionization time of flight (LDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) using nanostructure-embedded micro gold shells (μAuSs). The mass analyses of amino acids, sugars, peptides, and their mixtures gave apparent mass peaks for analytes without any significant background interferences. μAuSs afforded a better limit of detection (LOD) and a higher signal-to-noise ratio than gold nanoparticles, which are commonly used for LDI-TOF analysis of small molecules. We believe μAuSs have advantages in terms of simplicity, detection limit, and reproducibility, and therefore, they constitute a significant addition to the organic matrix-free analytical tools that are currently in wide use.
authors: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Republic of Korea.
authors: Jeongwook
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: Juhee
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: Taek Dong
authors: TD
authors: Chung
authors: Woon-Seok
authors: WS
authors: Yeo
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D057145:Nanoshells / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D002241:Carbohydrates; D010455:Peptides; D011137:Polystyrenes; D006046:Gold