MALDI for Small Molecule Analysis: A Complex Drug Mixture
Introduction
Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI) applications to small molecule analysis are often considered to be limited by low-mass matrix ions that can be isobaric with the target analytes. However, with sufficient resolving power, matrix ions and analyte ions can be separated. Additionally, these resolved matrix ions can serve as internal mass reference standards for exact mass measurements.
The SpiralTOF’s unique multi-turn ion optics package a very long (17-meter) flight path within a 1-meter space. Electric sectors and Matsuda plates provide perfect focusing to eliminate ion loss due to beam divergence. Post-source decay fragments occurring in the flight path are eliminated by the ion optics, providing a clean and artifact-free background.
This is shown here for the high-resolution analysis of a mixture of 32 small-molecule drugs analyzed by MALDI with the JEOL SpiralTOF mass spectrometer.