Desorption ionization by charge exchange (DICE) for sample analysis under ambient conditions by mass spectrometry

Chang Ching Chan, Mark S. Bolgar, Scott A. Miller, Athula B. Attygalle

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

An ambient pressure ionization technique for mass spectrometric analysis of substances present on solid surfaces was developed. A nebulized spray containing molecular ions of a solvent such as toluene can be generated by passing the solvent through a stainless steel capillary held at a high voltage. When the stream of charged droplets produced in this way is directed onto a solid surface, the analytes present on the surface are desorbed and ionized by a charge exchange process. This technique was shown to desorb and generate positively charged molecular ions from compounds that are not readily ionized by some other ambient methods, under positive-ion generation mode. For example, intense signals representing radical cations of 1,4-hydroquinone, limonene, thymol, and several other compounds were observed when the analytes were deposited on a metal surface and exposed to a toluene spray nebulized from the metal capillary maintained at a potential of about +5 kV. In contrast, when the same samples were exposed to a spray of water/methanol/formic acid under customary DESI-like (positive-ion mode) conditions, no peaks representing the analytes were observed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1554-1560
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry
Volume21
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2010

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