Rapid droplet introduction interface (rdii) for mass spectrometry
AssigneeUT-Battelle, LLC
InventorsVilmos Kertesz, John F. Cahill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for the mass spectrometry analysis of an analyte includes a droplet ejection device, a spray head comprising a spray tip for ejecting the solvent as a spray, and a solvent delivery conduit for delivering solvent to the spray tip. The spray head includes a droplet inlet opening communicating with the surrounding atmosphere for receiving liquid droplets comprising the analyte. The droplet ejection device selectively ejects a liquid analyte droplet comprising the analyte through a surrounding atmosphere and the droplet inlet opening into a solvent flowing through the solvent delivery conduit. A method for the mass spectrometry analysis of an analyte is also disclosed.
Claims37
A system for the mass spectrometry analysis of an analyte, the system comprising:
- a spray head comprising a spray tip for ejecting the solvent as a spray, and a solvent delivery conduit for delivering solvent to the spray tip, the spray head further comprising a droplet inlet opening communicating with the surrounding atmosphere for receiving liquid drops comprising the analyte;
- and,
- a droplet ejection device for selectively ejecting a liquid analyte droplet comprising the analyte through a surrounding atmosphere and the droplet inlet opening into a solvent flowing through the solvent delivery conduit.
A method for the mass spectrometry analysis of an analyte, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a spray head comprising a spray tip for ejecting the solvent as a spray, and a solvent delivery conduit for delivering solvent to the spray tip, the spray head further comprising a droplet inlet opening for receiving liquid analyte droplets comprising the analyte;
- flowing a solvent through the spray head and generating a spray at the spray tip;
- selectively ejecting a liquid analyte droplet from a droplet ejection device;
- collecting the liquid analyte droplet in the droplet inlet opening of the spray head;
- ionizing the analyte and transmitting the ionized analyte and solvent to the inlet of a mass spectrometer;
- and
- detecting and analyzing the analyte using mass spectrometry.
A method for the chemical analysis of an analyte, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a spray head comprising a spray tip for ejecting the solvent as a spray, and a solvent delivery conduit for delivering solvent to the spray tip, the spray head further comprising a droplet inlet opening for receiving liquid analyte droplets comprising the analyte;
- flowing a solvent through the spray head and generating a spray at the spray tip;
- selectively ejecting a liquid analyte droplet from a droplet ejection device;
- collecting the liquid analyte droplet in the droplet inlet opening of the spray head;
- forming the analyte and solvent into a spray and transmitting the analyte and solvent spray to the inlet of a chemical analysis device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.