Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1241036 | Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy | 2006 | 8 Pages |
Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) is studied at atmospheric pressure using liquid sampling methods. A time-of-flight mass spectrometer couples to an open sample stage accessed by a UV laser for desorption and ionization. Also coupled to the sampling state is a corona discharge for auxiliary ionization of desorbed neutral molecules. The interaction of the laser desorption and corona ionization is studied for a range of desorption conditions, showing enhanced analyte ionization, but the effect is analytically advantageous only at low desorption rates. The effect of corona discharge voltage was also explored. The decoupling of neutral molecule formation and subsequent ionization provides an opportunity to study each process separately.