Capillary-Based Multi Nanoelectrospray Emitters: Improvements in Ion Transmission Efficiency and Implementation with Capillary Reversed-Phase LC-ESI-MS

Abstract

We describe the coupling of liquid chromatography (LC) separations with mass spectrometry (MS) using nanoelectrospray ionization (nano-ESI) multiemitters. The array of 19 emitters reduced the flow rate delivered to each emitter, allowing the enhanced sensitivity that is characteristic of nano-ESI to be extended to higher flow rate separations. The signal for tryptic fragments from proteins spiked into a human plasma sample increased 11-fold on average when the multiemitters were employed, due to increased ionization efficiency and improved ion transfer efficiency through a newly designed heated multicapillary MS inlet. Additionally, the LC peak signal-to-noise ratio increased ∼7-fold when the multiemitter configuration was used. The low dead volume of the emitter arrays preserved peak shape and resolution for robust capillary LC separations using total flow rates of 2 μL/min.