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Innovation in laser-assisted ionization: Can you imagine how lasers interact with samples?
In modern mass spectrometry, ambient ionization, as an emerging ionization technology, is attracting the attention of scientific researchers.The subtlety of this technology is that it can be ionized directly outside the mass spectrometer outside the sample preparation or separation process without the need for special sample processing.Laser-assisted ionization technology takes quality analysis to a new level through the interaction between laser and sample.
Environmental ionization technology includes a variety of methods, such as solid-liquid extraction, plasma technology, laser assistance, etc. These methods are designed to improve the efficiency of non-destructive detection and rapid analysis.
Solid-liquid extraction method
Solid-liquid extraction environmental ionization technology is based on the principle of using charged liquid spray to form a liquid film on the surface of the sample.In this way, molecules on the surface of the sample can be extracted by solvent.When primary droplets hit the surface of the sample, secondary droplets will be generated, which then become the ionization source of the mass spectrometer.For example, desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) technology uses an electrospray source to create charged droplets and direct them to solid samples, thereby extracting sample molecules and generating highly charged ions.
Plasma Technology
Plastic environmental ionization technology relies on electrical discharge in flowing gases, in which metastable atoms and molecules and reactive ions are generated.These techniques are more efficient in removing volatile substances from the sample, and the ions are generated mainly by gas phase chemical ionization.In this way, the positively charged water aggregate can effectively protonate the sample molecules, further generating ions that can enter the mass spectrometer.
In these ionization mechanisms, it may lead to an oxidation reaction of the production of adducts and samples, which is crucial for analytical chemistry.
Laser assisted ionization technology
The laser-assisted ionization system uses pulsed lasers to desorb or peel off materials from the sample, and the clouds of these materials then interact with electrosprays or plasma to generate ions.This method uses ultraviolet and infrared wavelength lasers to complete sample analysis in a few tens of milliseconds, becoming one of the key technologies in mass spectrometry analysis today.With the development of laser technology, the accuracy of the instrument and the detection efficiency of the sample are constantly improving.
Two-step non-laser technology
In a two-step non-laser technique, the removal and ionization steps of the sample are separated.Probe electrospray ionization (PESI) is such an improved electrospray ionization technology.It replaces traditional capillaries by using sharp solid needle tips, showing better salt tolerance and direct sampling capability than conventional electrosprays.
Vapor ionization
Vapor ionization treats analytes in the gas phase, including respiratory gases, odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).In this process, through a gas-phase chemical reaction, the charged reagent ions collide with the analytical molecules and conduct a charge transfer reaction.
As the sensitivity continues to increase, even low volatile molecules can be detected like a small odor.
Combining these methods, environmental ionization technology continues to develop in a rapid and lossless direction, bringing unprecedented possibilities to cinematic scientific expeditions.However, there are still many unknown areas worth exploring in the principles and future applications behind these technologies.
Can you imagine what amazing technological breakthroughs will the interaction between laser and sample bring in the near future?
