The bridge between thin layer chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry: The realization of liquid thin layer chromatography-mass spectrometry

• TLC separation process and MS detection process is successfully synchronized like GC–MS and HPLC–MS do.
• The whole LTLC–MS analysis only need two steps and less than 15 min.
• New ambient desorption and ionization method is specially developed for combining TLC separation process and MS detection process together, and providing an integrated TLC–MS interface.

The combination of thin layer chromatography (TLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) has been studied for decades, but for most cases MS detection is done after TLC separation is finished. Here, an online simultaneous TLC–MS analysis system, liquid thin layer chromatography–mass spectrometry (LTLC–MS), is developed which successfully synchronize TLC separation process and MS detection process like GC–MS and HPLC–MS do. And there’s no need to use specially designed TLC, just regular TLC plates are enough. LTLC–MS method is composed of a newly developed ambient ionization method, glow discharge—matrix assisted infrared desorption ionization (GD-MAIRDI), and forced-flow TLC (FFTLC) technique, which guarantees the MS detection process does not disturb the TLC separation process throughout the whole analysis. The whole LTLC–MS analysis only need two steps and less than 15 min. Mixtures as well as the two main components of a pain relief pills have been successfully analyzed by LTLC–MS. This proof of concept study opens up new possibilities of combining TLC with MS, and will further broaden the application abilities of TLC.