Ionization efficiency study of Matrix-assisted Laser desorption Ionization by picoliter inkjet printing sample preparation.

摘要

For most of mass spectrometer users, the sensitivity is a very important specification of the mass spectrometer. In almost any instruments, the ion yield and ionization efficiency are directly related to the sensitivity. We tried to estimate the ionization efficiency of Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI), which is now one of the most important ionization methods for the mass spectrometric analysis of various kinds of materials. One of the major reasons why it is difficult to estimate the ionization efficiency of MALDI is that poor quantitativity of MALDI analysis by the heterogeneity of matrix crystal and sample distribution in dried sample spot. For solving this problem, we prepared a homogeneous and small diameter sample spot by picoliter inkjet printing sample preparation.