Acoustic Ejection Mass Spectrometry for High-Throughput Analysis
Hui Zhang, Chang Liu, Wenyi Hua, Lucien P. Ghislain, Jianhua Liu, Lisa Aschenbrenner, Stephen Noell, Kenneth J. DiRico, Lorraine F. Lanyon, Claire M. Steppan, Mike West, Don W. Arnold, Thomas R. Covey, Sammy S. Datwani, Matthew D. Troutman
Abstract
We describe a mass spectrometry (MS) analytical platform resulting from the novel integration of acoustic droplet ejection (ADE) technology, an open-port interface (OPI), and electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS that creates a transformative system enabling high-speed sampling and label-free analysis. The ADE technology delivers nanoliter droplets in a touchless manner with high speed, precision, and accuracy. Subsequent sample dilution within the OPI, in concert with the capabilities of modern ESI-MS, eliminates the laborious sample preparation and method development required in current approaches. This platform is applied to a variety of experiments, including high-throughput (HT) pharmacology screening, label-free in situ enzyme kinetics, in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination, pharmacokinetic and biomarker analysis, and HT parallel medicinal chemistry.