Cornell Research Foundation Inc.

Advion Inc.

Scientific Analysis Instruments Limited

Mds Health Group Limited

Mds Sciex

Jack D Henion

Timothy Wachs

Thomas R Covey

Simon Prosser

Stephen Thompson

Robin L Sheppard

Vic Parr

Eric Huang

Methods and systems for mass spectrometry and more particularly to an interface providing charged particles to a mass spectrometer are described herein.

Atmospheric pressure ionization inlet for mass spectrometers

A miniaturized ion sprayer device is suitable for coupling with chip-based analytical separation devices, multi-well plates, or surfaces containing residues of prepared samples. One embodiment, a &ldquo;micro sprayer&rdquo; device which is suitable for coupling to the terminal edge of a capillary electrophoresis (CE) chip is constructed from modified HPLC tubing and associated fittings and employs a free-standing liquid junction formed via continuous delivery of a flow (1-6 microliters/min) of suitable solvent which carries effluent through a pneumatically-assisted electrospray (ion spray) needle. A second embodiment employs the same features as the microsprayer, but with an extended sampling capillary tube which can reach into the depths of 96, 384, and 1,536 multi-well plates containing either sample solutions or dried sample residues.

Miniaturized fluid transfer device

A method of analyzing a protein, namely determining the amino acid sequence of a protein is described. Trypsin is added to a protein to form a liquid phase mixture of trypsin and the protein. The disulfide linkages of the protein may be reduced and the resulting sulfhydryl groups alkylated either before or after the addition of trypsin. The trypsin is allowed to digest the protein long enough to cleave protein into tryptic fragments. A portion of the digested mixture is ionized by ion evaporation to produce gas phase ions of the tryptic fragments, the gas phase ions being predominantly doubly charged with one charge at each end of the doubly charged ions. The gas phase ions of the tryptic fragments are analyzed by sequentially selecting therefrom ions of a desired mass to charge ratio in a first mass analyzer. The selected ions are fragmented by collision in a second mass analyzer to produce daughter ions, and the daughter ions are then analyzed in a third mass analyzer.

Method of protein analysis

Protein sequencing by mass spectrometry

An interface for connecting an electrophoresis capillary to a mass spectrometer sprayer tube includes a first length of support tubing having an axial bore receiving and aligning the capillary and tube in end-abutting relationship at a junction. A solvent tube in a second length of support tubing intersects the first length of tubing in a T at the junction to supply makeup solvent to analyte flowing from the capillary to the sprayer tube. The tubing is secured in a T fitting which seals the tubing around the capillary, the sprayer tube, and the solvent tube.

Capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry interface

Self-aligning liquid junction

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Trumansburg, NY, United States of America

Jack D Henion