PNNL

Abstract

A new multicapillary inlet and ion funnel interface for electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry has been developed and demonstrated to achieve higher ion transmission efficiency compared to a single capillary inlet and ion funnel interface. Even though the distance between the end of the ESI inlet capillary and the exit of the ion funnel (10 cm) is significantly longer than that of the conventional interface (typically a few mm), a significant part of the directed gas flow persists into the first stage of pumping and results in an increased gas load to the second chamber. A jet disrupter made of a circular metal disk placed on axis in the ion funnel enhanced the dispersion of the directed gas flow from a multi-capillary inlet and was found to improve the ion transmission. The ion funnel with the jet disrupter demonstrated a 15% improvement in ion transmission compared to that without the jet disrupter, and simultaneously reduced the pumping speed required for the first or second stage by a factor of 2 to 3. Compared to the sensitivity with the standard mass spectrometer interface (an API 3000, SCIEX, Concord, ON, Canada) in MS/MS operation using an interface equipped with the jet disrupter and ion funnel, a factor of 5.3 to 10.7 enhancement in signal was observed for samples with concentrations of 100 to 500 pg/ul and 10.2 to 14.1 for concentrations of 10 to 50 pg/ul. The decreased enhancement at higher concentrations is attributed to space change effects.