Methods and Devices for Concentration and Purification of Analytes for Chemical Analysis Including Matrix-Assisted Laser Desportion/Ionization (MALDI) Mass Spectrometry (MS)

A concentrator comprising:

• a top surface including a plurality of apertures, each aperture forming an electrolytic cell;
• a capture layer having a top and a bottom and having pores that are smaller than at least one analyte of interest;
• and
• a separation layer located between the top surface and the capture layer;
• wherein the capture layer captures at least one analyte of interest by sieving

A concentrator comprising:

• a top surface including a plurality of apertures, each aperture forming an electrolytic cell;
• a top electrode associated with each aperture;
• a capture layer having a top and a bottom and having pores that are smaller than at least one analyte of interest, the capture layer further being porous to ionic electrical currents;
• a separation layer located between the top surface and the capture layer;
• and
• a bottom electrode associated with two or more electrolytic cells, wherein the capture layer captures at least one analyte of interest by sieving

A concentrator comprising:

• a top surface including a plurality of apertures, each aperture forming a well;
• a capture layer;
• a separation layer located between the top surface and the capture layer;
• and
• a buffering layer located between a bottom electrode and the capture layer wherein the buffer layer is a continuous buffer layer that is associated with each of the plurality of apertures.