Mass Analysis of Biological Macromolecules at Atmospheric Pressure Using Nonresonant Femtosecond Laser Vaporization and Electrospray Ionization

摘要

A nonresonant femtosecond laser pulse, with an intensitynof 1013 Wcm-2, vaporizes proteins and biomoleculesnintact, regardless of molecular structure, size or electronicnstructure for subsequent electrospray ionizationnand transfer into a mass spectrometer. Rapid, directnanalysis from dried sample, aqueous solution andncellular material is demonstrated at atmospheric pressurenusing laser electrospray mass spectrometryn(LEMS). Measurements are presented for lysozymen(14.3 kDa), hemoglobin from human blood, ovalbuminn(45 kDa) from hen egg white and phospholipids fromnhen egg yolk. Mass analysis of biological material isnperformed without dilution, extraction or sample preparation,nother than placing the biological material ontonthe sample plate.