Micromass UK Limited

Masslab Limited

Micromass Limited

Micromass UK Limite

Stevan Bajic

David S Douce

David Gordon

Gordon A Jones

Robert Harold Bateman

Jeffery Mark Brown

Daniel James Kenny

Paul Robert Murray

Richard Barrington Moulds

Ian David Trivett

Stephen O'Brien

Mark William Towers

Kate Whyatt

James P Murphy

John Chipperfield

Scott Pritchard

A method of ionising a sample is disclosed comprising nebulising a sample which includes first biomolecules such as bovine insulin comprising one or more disulphide (S&#x2014;S) bonds. A stream of droplet or charged droplets comprising one or more disulphide (S&#x2014;S) bonds is directed so as to impact upon a target () or electrode so as to cause the breaking of a portion of the disulphide bonds. Alternatively, charged droplets may pass through an electric field region determined by an electrode () arranged downstream of a nebuliser or electrospray probe and an ion inlet () of a mass spectrometer so as to cause the breaking of a portion of the disulphide bonds.

Breaking of disulfide bonds of a nebulized analyte

An impact ionisation spray or electrospray ionisation ion source comprising a nebuliser () having a first conduit () for providing a liquid sample and a second conduit () for providing a nebulisation gas in order to nebulise the liquid sample is disclosed. The first conduit () and second conduit () are of unitary construction with each other and may be made from glass. The ion source can provide a consistent and/or predictable spray profile for the nebulised sample.

Impact ionisation spray or electrospray ionisation ion source

An ion source is provided comprising a nebuliser or electrospray probe () for nebulising a sample and an impact surface or target electrode (). The impact surface or target electrode () comprises a tarnishable or oxidisable metal or an alloy comprising a tarnishable or oxidisable metal. Also provided is an ion source comprising a nebuliser or electrospray probe with a central wire comprising a tarnishable or oxidisable metal or an alloy comprising a tarnishable or oxidisable metal or an alloy comprising a tarnishable or oxidisable metal. Adducts with relatively heavy metals result in simplified multiply-charged mass spectra that are easier to interpret.

Impact ionisation ion source

A method of ionisation is disclosed in which a sample is heated such that analyte is released from the sample. Analyte released from the sample is accumulated, and then the accumulated analyte is passed to an ionisation region where the analyte is ionised.

Ion source

A method of ionizing a sample is disclosed that comprises heating a sample so that analyte is released from the sample, producing charged particles such as charged droplets downstream of the sample, and using the charged particles to ionize at least some of the analyte released from the sample so as to produce analyte ions.

A secondary ultrasonic nebulisation device is disclosed comprising: a liquid sample delivery capillary; a sample receiving surface arranged for receiving a liquid sample from the capillary; and an ultrasonic transducer configured for oscillating the surface so as to nebulise the liquid sample received thereon, wherein the device is configured such that the oscillations of the surface by the ultrasonic transducer cause charged droplets and/or gas phase ions to be generated from the sample.

Secondary ultrasonic nebulisation

A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an atmospheric pressure interface comprising a gas conehaving an inlet aperture, wherein the gas conehas a first longitudinal axis arranged along an x-axis and an Electrospray ion source comprising a first capillary tubehaving an outlet and having a second longitudinal axis and a second capillary tubewhich surrounds the first capillary tube. The mass spectrometer further comprises a desolvation gas supply tube and a first device arranged and adapted to supply an analyte liquid via the first capillary tubeso that the liquid exits the outlet of the first capillary tubeat a flow rate &#x3e;200 &#x3bc;L/min. The mass spectrometer further comprises a second device arranged and adapted to supply a nebuliser gas via the second capillary tubeat a flow rate in the range 80-150 L/hr, wherein an outlet of the first capillary tubeis arranged at a distance x mm along the x-axis as measured from the centre of the gas cone inlet aperture, a distance y mm along a y-axis as measured from the centre of the gas cone inlet aperture and a distance z mm along a z-axis as measured from the centre of the gas cone inlet aperture. The x-axis, the y-axis and the z-axis are mutually orthogonal. The desolvation gas supply tube surrounds the second capillary tubeand the mass spectrometer further comprises a third device arranged and adapted to supply a desolvation gas via the desolvation gas supply tube at a flow rate in the range 400-1200 L/hr, a heaterarranged and adapted to heat the desolvation gas to a temperature &#x2265;100&#xb0; C. and a fourth device arranged and adapted to supply a cone gas to the gas coneat a flow rate in the range 40-80 L/hr and wherein x is in the range 2.0-5.0 mm and wherein the ratio z/x is in the range 1-5:1.

Miniature ion source of fixed geometry

A secondary ultrasonic nebulization device is disclosed comprising: a liquid sample delivery capillary; a sample receiving surface arranged for receiving a liquid sample from the capillary; and an ultrasonic transducer configured for oscillating the surface so as to nebulize the liquid sample received thereon, wherein the device is configured such that the oscillations of the surface by the ultrasonic transducer cause charged droplets and/or gas phase ions to be generated from the sample.

There is provided an ion source comprising one or more nebulizers and one or more targets, wherein said one or more nebulizers are arranged and adapted to emit, in use, a stream predominantly of droplets which are caused to impact upon said one or more targets and to ionize said droplets to form a plurality of ions, wherein said one or more targets further comprise one or more structures configured to disturb gas flowing along a surface of said one or more targets.

Impactor spray ion source

A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an atmospheric pressure interface comprising a gas cone having an inlet aperture, wherein the gas cone has a first longitudinal axis arranged along an x-axis and an Electrospray ion source comprising a first capillary tube having an outlet and having a second longitudinal axis and a second capillary tube which surrounds the first capillary tube. The mass spectrometer further comprises a desolvation gas supply tube and a first device arranged and adapted to supply an analyte liquid via the first capillary tube so that the liquid exits the outlet of the first capillary tube at a flow rate &#x3e;200 &#x3bc;L/min. The mass spectrometer further comprises a second device arranged and adapted to supply a nebuliser gas via the second capillary tube at a flow rate in the range 80-150 L/hr, wherein an outlet of the first capillary tube is arranged at a distance x mm along the x-axis as measured from the centre of the gas cone inlet aperture, a distance y mm along a y-axis as measured from the centre of the gas cone inlet aperture and a distance z mm along a z-axis as measured from the centre of the gas cone inlet aperture. The x-axis, the y-axis and the z-axis are mutually orthogonal. The desolvation gas supply tube surrounds the second capillary tube and the mass spectrometer further comprises a third device arranged and adapted to supply a desolvation gas via the desolvation gas supply tube at a flow rate in the range 400-1200 L/hr, a heater arranged and adapted to heat the desolvation gas to a temperature &#x2265;100&#xb0; C. and a fourth device arranged and adapted to supply a cone gas to the gas cone at a flow rate in the range 40-80 L/hr and wherein x is in the range 2.0-5.0 mm and wherein the ratio z/x is in the range 1-5:1.

An ion source is disclosed comprising a nebulizerarranged and adapted to emit a liquid spray, a first targetarranged downstream of the nebulizer, wherein the liquid spray is arranged to impact upon the first target, and a sample targetarranged downstream of the first target, wherein a sample to be analyzed is provided at the sample target

Ambient ionisation with an impactor spray source

A method of ion mapping is disclosed comprising depositing a sample onto a target surface and separating the sample on the target surface according to a first physico-chemical property in a first dimension and according to a second physico-chemical property in a second dimension. The method further comprises ionising and mass analysing multiple separate regions of the sample so as to generate an ion map of at least a portion of the sample deposited upon the target surface. The sample is deposited onto and separated on the target surface by mechanical, hydrodynamic and/or aerodynamic means.

Two-dimensional separation and imaging technique for the rapid analysis of biological samples

An ion source is disclosed comprising a nebulizer and a target. The nebulizer is arranged and adapted to emit, in use, a stream of analyte droplets which are caused to impact upon the target and to ionize analyte to form a plurality of analyte ions. The target is vibrated by a piezo-electric vibration device to reduce the size of resultant secondary droplets.

Piezo-electric vibration on an in-source surface ionization structure to aid secondary droplet reduction

An ion source is provided comprising one or more nebulizers and one or more targets, wherein the one or more nebulizers are arranged and adapted to emit, in use, a stream predominantly of droplets which are caused to impact upon the one or more targets and to ionise the droplets to form a plurality of ions. The ion source further comprises one or more electrodes arranged adjacent to and/or attached to the one or more targets wherein the one or more electrodes comprise one or more apertures, notches or cut-outs wherein at least some of the plurality of ions pass, in use, through the one or more apertures, notches or cut-outs.

Impactor spray atmospheric pressure ion source with target paddle

An ion source is disclosed comprising a nebulizer arranged and adapted to emit a liquid spray, a first target arranged downstream of the nebulizer, wherein the liquid spray is arranged to impact upon the first target, and a sample target arranged downstream of the first target, wherein a sample to be analyzed is provided at the sample target.

Growing community of inventors

Sale, United Kingdom

Stevan Bajic