Controlling charge states of large ions

Science. 1999 Jan 8;283(5399):194-7. doi: 10.1126/science.283.5399.194.

Abstract

The charge state of ions produced in electrospray ionization (ESI) was reduced in a controlled manner to yield predominantly singly charged species by exposure of the aerosol to a bipolar ionizing gas. Analysis of the resulting ions on an orthogonal time-of-flight mass spectrometer yielded mass spectra greatly simplified compared with conventional ESI spectra. The decreased spectral complexity afforded by the charge reduction facilitates the analysis of mixtures by ESI mass spectrometry.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aerosols
  • Cytochrome c Group / analysis
  • Electrochemistry
  • Insulin / analysis
  • Ions*
  • Mass Spectrometry* / instrumentation
  • Mass Spectrometry* / methods
  • Oligonucleotides / analysis*
  • Polonium
  • Proteins / analysis*
  • Ubiquitins / analysis

Substances

  • Aerosols
  • Cytochrome c Group
  • Insulin
  • Ions
  • Oligonucleotides
  • Proteins
  • Ubiquitins
  • Polonium