Methods for sampling into an atmospheric pressure inlet mass spectrometer

A method for analyzing an analyte, the method comprising:

• contacting the analyte with a surface of the ultrasonic nebulizer chip;
• introducing the analyte to the input of the mass spectrometer, wherein the analyte is a liquid analyte;
• delivering the liquid analyte to the surface of an ultrasonic nebulizer chip at a flow rate of about 1 to about 20 microliters per minute (μL/min);
• nebulizing a suspension of the liquid analyte in a solvent with the ultrasonic nebulizer chip to provide a nebulized suspension wherein the ultrasonic nebulizer chip is operatively coupled to a mass spectrometer having an input;
• and
• performing mass spectrometry on the nebulized suspension.

An analytical system for analyzing an analyte, the analytical system comprising:

• a mass spectrometer having an input;
• an ultrasonic nebulizer chip operatively coupled to the mass spectrometer, such that when the ultrasonic nebulizer chip nebulizes the analyte to provide a nebulized analyte, at least some of the nebulized analyte enters the input of the mass spectrometer;
• and
• an electronic data acquisition system in electronic communication with the mass spectrometer, wherein the electronic data acquisition system processes a plurality of signals provided by the mass spectrometer.