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US 2006/0110833 A1Published application
Method and apparatus for coupling an analyte supply to an electrodynamic droplet processor
OwnerGeorge Agnes, Michael Boganinventors
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OwnerGeorge Agnes, Michael Boganinventors
Estimating the term…
This application relates to a method and apparatus for coupling an analyte supply, such as a biomolecule separator, to an electrodynamic droplet processor. In one embodiment the biomolecule separator is a capillary liquid chromatography column and the droplet processor includes an droplet generator and an electrodynamic balance. The biomolecule separator and the droplet processor may be fluidly coupled to provide a continuous supply of analyte for analysis. The droplets may be controllably ejected from the electrodynamic balance and deposited on a target substrate for use in detecting the analyte by mass spectrometry, such as MALDI time of flight mass spectrometry. Prior to deposition, each of the droplets is levitated in the electrodynamic balance for a period sufficient to enable evaporation of volatile solvents present in the droplet solution, thereby increasing the analyte concentration in the droplet. The solution may include a MALDI liquid matrix and the target substrate may be a MALDI plate. In one embodiment, the method involves depositing a succession of discrete droplets on the target substrate to form one or more microspots having a high density of analytes. The microspots are then irradiated and the ions produced are analyzed by mass spectrometry. The invention improves the sensitivity of analyte detection while consuming a comparatively small volume of test solution.
A method of preparing samples for use in analyte detection comprising:
A method of detecting the presence of an analyte in a sample comprising:
The method as described in claim 36, wherein test solution comprises a MALDI matrix and wherein said substrate is a MALDI plate.
An analyte detection system comprising:
A method of preparing samples for use in analyte detection comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.