LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS OF SAMPLES USING AN IONIC ELUENT COMPRISING A VOLATILE IONIC SALT

摘要

The use of an ionic eluent in ion exchange chromatography for analysing a sample comprising an analyte, wherein the ionic eluent comprises a volatile ionic salt, in particular an ammonium salt, is described. Such eluents are shown to be compatible with mass spectrometry (MS), providing clean mass spectra of the analyte. Furthermore, eluates from ion exchange chromatography may be advantageously analysed with MS without additional on-line or off-line devices for desalting or suppressing salts in the eluent. Important information concerning the chemical structure and composition of a sample may therefore be obtained with ion chromatography-MS by utilising the invention. The invention also provides a method of analysing a sample (e.g. a vaccine) comprising an analyte (e.g. a saccharide) by ion chromotography-MS by employing an ionic eluent, wherein the ionic eluent comprises a volatile ionic salt. An apparatus for analysing a sample comprising an analyte is also disclosed.