Analysis of acidic carbohydrates as their quaternary ammonium or phosphonium salts by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

New two-component systems using quaternary ammonium or phosphonium salts as a co-matrix have been developed for the analysis of acidic carbohydrates by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS).