Experimental study of the effect of gas discharge on ionic liquid electrospray

Ionic liquid electrospray(ILE) in an atmospheric environment is often accompanied by the gas discharge phenomenon. It interferes with the normal operation of the electrospray and the measurement of experimental parameters. In this study, electrospray experiments were conducted on the ionic liquid EMI-BF4. The observations revealed that the operating modes of the ionic liquid depend on the voltage polarity at high voltages. Additionally, a correspondence between the operating mode of ILE and the current signal in the circuit was established. The shape of the liquid cone formed at the needle tip bore a striking resemblance to the plume of corona discharge, suggesting that the motion trajectory of electrons influenced the curvature of the liquid cone. Steamer theory provided a clear explanation for the change in curvature as the voltage increased.

Studies on the Basic Conformation of Lysozyme by Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry(ESI-MS)

In the present work, 2-mercaptoethanol and dithiothreitol were used to hydrogenise the internal disulfide bond in lysozyme. The experimental results indicate that the charge distribution of the proteins are different in the reaction process. From the calculated molecular weight, the reduction process of the disulfide bond in the molecules can be described, and the number of the disulfide bonds in the molecule can also be determined.

Biodegradable Polylactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) Thin Films Prepared by Electrospray and Pressurized Spray Deposition

PLGA thin films were prepared onto implantable devices by the electrospray and pressurized spray method. Thin films with structural gradients were obtained by controlling four parameters consisting of solution concentration, applied voltage, air pressure , and deposition time. The surface morphologies of the deposited films were observed using scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. The image analysis revealed the control factors on the preparation of PLGA thin films. The beaded structure is ensily formed with a decrease in polymer concentration while the fibrous structure is easily formed with an increuse in polymer concentration. With the increase in applied voltage, the surface morphologies changed continnously from a small amount of fibrous shape to a large fibrous one： a small amount of.fibrous shape at 10 kV, more fibers with non-uniform diameter at 20 kV, and most fibers with uniform diameter at 30 kV. Low air pressure（0.1 MPa ） corresponded to round particles while high air pressure （0.3 MPa ） corresponded to fiat particles. The change in thickness from 5.34 to 10.1μm was a result of deposition time increasing from 5 to 10 s. From our above work, films of the bead or fiber structures can be obtained by changing electrical parameters to impropvc tbe biocompntibility of the film.

Preparation of TiO2 and SiC Films from Their Precursors Using Electrospraying

Titanium dioxide(TiO2) films were prepared by cone - jet mode electrospraying a titanium ethoxideprecursor solution onto a silicon substrate.The effects of spraying time,substrate temperature and aging on thesurface morphology of the films prepared were studied.Thin films obtained after spraying for 600 s were aged atroom temperature to form a porous TiO2 network with pores in the size range of 100 - 500 nm.Thicker filmswere prepared by spraying for 3 000 s,but these cracked on drying although it can be concluded that films pre-pared using a higher substrate temperature were denser.By this method,SiC coating was also prepared on anAl2O3 substrate using polysilane as a precursor.The result implies the potential of an industrial production ofdye sensitized solar cells by electrospraying technique.

Wastewater Decontamination from Microorganisms by Electrospraying Corona Discharge

A novel water treatment technique, based on a combination of electrospraying and pulsed corona discharge, has been used for bio-decontamination of wastewater. The electrospraying process has been found to increase the surface area of the treated wastewater, and hence increases the efficiency of the corona treatment process. The phase diagram of the discharge, which characterizes the discharge regimes, has been identified experimentally. The survival ratio of the microorganisms has been investigated experimentally as a function of the applied voltage and the numbers of treatment runs using air and oxygen as working gases. Microorganism surface has been examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM), which enabled in understanding the decontamination mechanisms of the treated microorganism. A complete decontamination has been achieved after only one run for an applied voltage higher than 16 kV when the discharge system was operated in oxygen gas. Optical emission spectrum of the electrosprayed water confirmed the existence of OH-radicals responsible for decontamination process.

Identification,structure elucidation and origin of a common pyridinium-thiocyanate intermediate in electrospray mass spectrometry among the benziamidazole-class proton pump inhibitors

During the analysis of benziamidazole-class irreversible proton pump inhibitors,an unusual mass spectral response with the mass-to-charge ratio at[Mt10]t intrigued us,as it couldn't be assigned to any literature known relevant structure,intermediate or adduct ion.Moreover,this mysterious mass pattern of[Mt10]t has been gradually observed by series of marketed proton pump inhibitors,viz.omeprazole,pantoprazole,lansoprazole and rabeprazole.All the previous attempts to isolate the corresponding component were unsuccessful.The investigation of present work addresses this kind of signal to a pyridinium thiocyanate mass spectral intermediate(10),which is the common fragment ion of series of labile aggregates.The origin of such aggregates can be traced to the reactive intermediates formed by acid-promoted degradation.These reactive intermediates tend to react with each other and give raise series of complicated aggregates systematically in a water/acetonitrile solution by electrospray ionization.The structure of the corresponding pyridinium thiocyanate species of omeprazole(10a)has been eventually characterized with the help of synthetic specimen(10a′).Our structural proposal as well as its origin was supported by in situ nuclear magnetic resonance,chemical derivatization and colorimetric experiments.

Rapid authentication of different herbal medicines by heating online extraction electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The rapid and accurate authentication of traditional Chinese medicines(TCMs)has always been a key scientific and technical problem in the field of pharmaceutical analysis.Herein,a novel heating online extraction electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(H-oEESI-MS)was developed for the rapid and direct analysis of extremely complex substances without the requirement for any sample pretreatment or pre-separation steps.The overall molecular profile and fragment structure features of various herbal medicines could be completely captured within 10–15 s,with minimal sample(<0.5 mg)and solvent consumption(<20μL for one sample).Furthermore,a rapid differentiation and authentication strategy for TCMs based on H-oEESI-MS was proposed,including metabolic profile characterization,characteristic marker screening and identification,and multivariate statistical analysis model validation.In an analysis of 52 batches of seven types of Aconitum medicinal materials,20 and 21 key compounds were screened out as the characteristic markers of raw and processed Aconitum herbal medicines,respectively,and the possible structures of all the characteristic markers were comprehensively identified based on Compound Discoverer databases.Finally,multivariate statistical analysis showed that all the different types of herbal medicines were well differentiated and identified(R^(2)X>0.87,R^(2)Y>0.91,and Q^(2)>0.72),which further verified the feasibility and reliability of this comprehensive strategy for the rapid authentication of different TCMs based on H-oEESI-MS.In summary,this rapid authentication strategy realized the ultra-high-throughput,low-cost,and standardized detection of various complex TCMs for the first time,thereby demonstrating wide applicability and value for the development of quality standards for TCMs.

High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Bilobalide and Ginkgolides in Ginkgo biloba L. Leaves

The ginkgo terpenoids including bilobalide and ginkgolides are the main pharmaceutical components in the leaves or extracts of Ginkgo biloba L. In this paper, the analysis of bilobalide and ginkgolides in leaves of Ginkgo biloba L. by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-electrospray ionization (ESI)-mass spectrometry (MS) was carried out. The separation was performed on Inertsil ODS3 column with methanol-water (36:64) as mobile phase, with 1 mL·min -1 of flow rate at 35℃. Then the mass spectrum analysis was conducted by ZMD micromass electrospray ionization (ESI)-mass spectrometer (MS). The HPLC total ion chromatogram and selected ion chromatogram (with 325, 407, 423, 439 of m/z) of the sample and ESI-/MS mass spectra of the peaks in the chromatograms were obtained. So bilobalide, ginkgolide A, B, C and J in Ginkgo biloba L. leaves were identified. The method is easy and rapid, with a good accuracy.

Analysis of Sucrose Esters with Long Acyl Chain by Coupling of HPLC-ELSD with ESI-MS System

The analysis of sucrose esters with long acyl chain by improved high performance liquid chromatographic method with evaporative light scattering detection （HPLC-ELSD） and electrospray ionization mass spectrum （ESI-MS） is investigated. The improved HPLC-ELSD method for the separation and quantitation of commercial and synthesized sucrose esters is described. Samples are analyzed by means of a reversed-phase （RP） HPLC using a Hypersil C8 column （250 mm× 4.6 mm, 5 μm particle size） with methanol-tetrahydrofuran （vo）ume ratio of 90 ： 10） and water under gradientcondition as the mobile phase, in which the flow rate is 1.0 ml·min^-1 and the column temperature is set at 40℃. This procedure provides a complete separation and determination ot monoester, diester, triester and higher esters with different acyl chain lengths in each fraction by a single run, in combination with the ESI-MS technology. With this method, it is possible to determine the approximate compositions of monoto polyesters in one analysis and quantitate pure positional isomers precisely using an external standard method. It is found that the method of ESI-MS coupling with HPLC system for the analysis of sucrose esters is straight forward, rapid and inexpensive, and can be readily applied in synthesis, purification and structure studies.

Characterization of an ionic liquid electrospray thruster with a porous ceramic emitter

An ionic liquid(IL)electrospray thruster was developed for application in micro-nano satellites or gravitational wave detectors.The thruster employed a porous ceramic emitter with seven emitter strips located on its emission surface.Without any liquid-supply device,IL was delivered through porous media to emitter strips via capillary effect.Multiple emission sites then formed at the tip of each strip.A charged beam of up to 350μA(with a current density of 540μA cm^(-2))was stably produced in the negative mode.However,in the positive mode,a corona was observed which could prevent the thruster from emitting larger current.A time-of-flight mass spectrometer with significantly improved signal-to-noise ratio was built,which was used to obtain the mass distribution of the beam of the thruster.A retarding potential analysis was also performed.The test results showed that the thruster worked in the pure-ion regime,and delivered a maximum thrust of 67.1μN with specific impulses of 3952 s and 3117 s in the positive and negative modes,respectively.

Simultaneous determination of adenine, uridine and adenosine in cordyceps sinensis and its substitutes by LC/ESI-MS

A simple, sensitive and reproducible high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry coupled with electrospray ionization method for simultaneous separation and determination of adenine, adenosine and （uridine） was developed. The analytical column is a 2.0 mm×150 mm Shimadzu VP-ODS column and volume fraction of the mobile phase is （86.5%）water, 12.0%methanol and 1.5%formic acid. 2-chloroadenosine was used as internal standard. Selective ion monitoring mode and selective ion monitoring ions at ratio of mass to electric charge of 136 for adenine, 268 for adenosine and 267 for uridine were chosen for quantitative analysis of the three active components. The results show that the regression equations and linear range are Y=0.062X+（0.005） and 2.0140.0 (μg·mL-1)for adenine, Y=0.049X+0.004 and 4.0115.0 μg·mL-1 for uridine, （Y=0.154X）+0.014 and （1.0125.0） μg·mL-1 for adenosine. The limits of detection are 0.6 μg·mL-1 for adenine, 1.0 μg·mL-1for uridine and (0.2 μg·mL-1) for adenosine. The recoveries of the three constituents are from 96.6% to 103.2%.

Identification and determination of the major constituents in traditional Chinese medicine Longdan Xiegan Pill by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS

A novel and sensitive HPLC-UV method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of twelve major compounds in Longdan Xiegan Pill.The chemical profile of the twelve compounds,including geniposidic acid（1）,geniposide（2）,gentiopicroside（3）,liquiritin（4）,crocin（5）,baicalin（6）,wogonoside（7）,baicalein（8）,glycyrrhizic acid（9）,wogonin（10）,oroxylin A（11）and aristolochic acid A（12）,was acquired using high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector coupled with an electrospray tandem mass spectrometer（HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS）.The analysis was performed on a Dikma Platisil ODS C18 column（250 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm）with a gradient solvent system of acetonitrile-0.1% aqueous formic acid.The validation was carried out and the linearities（r〉0.9996）,repeatability（RSD〈1.8%）,intra-and inter-day precision（RSD〈1.3%）,and recoveries（ranging from 96.6% to 103.4%）were acceptable.The limits of detection（LOD）of these compounds ranged from 0.29 to 4.17 ng.Aristolochic acid A,which is the toxic ingredient,was not detected in all the batches of Longdan Xiegan Pill.Furthermore,hierarchical cluster analysis was used to evaluate the variation of the herbal prescription.The proposed method is simple,effective and suitable for the quality control of this traditional Chinese medicine（TCM）.

Analysis of Norditerpenoid Alkaloids Extracted from Aconitum sinomantanum Nakai by Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry（ESI-MS） was applied simultaneously in determining norditerpenoid alkaloids from the roots of Aconitum sinomantanum Nakai （RAS） based on molecular mass information. The tandem mass spectra（ ESI-MS^n） provided the alkaloidal structural information, through which the existence of these alkaloids was further confirmed. Accordingly, six known norditerpenoid alkaloids were simultaneously determined on the basis of their ESI-MS^n spectra. Furthermore, based on the diagnostic fragmentation pathways of alkaloidal MS^n, a rapid method for direct detection and characterization of alkaloids from an ethanolic extract of RAS was described.

Analysis and determination of diterpenoids in unprocessed and processed Euphorbia lathyris seeds by HPLC-ESI-MS

Euphorbia lathyris （Caper spurge） is a toxic and potent Chinese materia medica （T/PCMM）. This study sought a method for identifying five diterpenoids （Euphorbia factors LI-L3, L7a, and Ls） with the spectra of UV and mass, quantifying three diterpenoids L1, L2, and L8 in crude extracts of unprocessed and processed E. lathyris seeds by liquid chromatography/ electrospray ionization mass spectrometry （LC-ESI-MS）. The analysis was achieved on an Agilent Eclipse XDB-C18 column （4.6 mm× 150mm i.d., 5 μm） with an isocratic elution with a mobile phase consisting of water and acetonitrile at a flow rate of 0.25 mL/min at column temperature of 30 ℃ and UV detection was set at 272 nm. An ESI source was used with a positive ionization mode. The calibration curve was linear in the ranges of 9.9-79 μg/mL for Euphorbia factor Lb 3.8-30.5μg/mL for Euphorbia factor L2, and 1.0-20.6 μg/mL for Euphorbia factor LB. The average recoveries （n=6） of three diterpenoids were 98.39%, 91.10% and 96.94%, respectively, with RSD of 2.5%, 2.4% and 2.1%, respectively. The contents of the three diterpenoids in processed E. lathyris seeds were 3.435, 1.367 and 0.286 mg/g, respectively, which decreased more sharply than those in unprocessed E. lathyris seeds which were 4.915, 1.944 and 0.425 mg/g, respectively. The method is simple, accurate, reliable and reproducible, and it can be applied to control the quality of unprocessed and processed E. lathyris seeds.

2',3'-双脱氢-2',3'双脱氧胸苷5'-亚磷酸苄酯的ESI-MS^n中的一种新颖的重排反应

爱滋病(AIDS)是一种严重威胁人类健康的传染性疾病.研究和开发新的、高疗效的抗AIDS的药物已成了生物学家、化学家和药物学家的主要的研究方向之一.2′,3′-双脱氢-2′,3′-双脱氧胸苷(d4T)是HIV逆转录酶抑制剂[1,2],它们是美国FDA通过的可用于治疗AIDS的一类药物[3].……

Simultaneous separation and determination of four main isoflavonoids in Astragali Radix by an isocratic LC/ESI-MS method

A simple, reliable and rapid isocratic liquid chromatography(LC)-mass spectrometric detection(MS) coupled with electrospray ionization(ESI) method for simultaneous separation and determination of calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside, ononin, calycosin and formonometin in Astragali Radix was developed. After the samples were extracted with ethanol, the optimum separation conditions for these analytes were achieved using water and acetonitrile(70:30, v/v) containing 0.2%(v/v) acetic acid as a mobile phase and a 2.0 mm×150 mm Hypersil-Keystone C18 column. Selective ion monitoring(SIM) mode and [M+H]+ ions at m/z 447, 431, 285 and 269 were used for quantitative analysis of four main active components above mentioned. The calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.4-175.0 μg/mL for calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside, 0.2-146.0 μg/m L for ononin, 0.4-210.0 μg/mL for calycosin and 0.5-217.0 μg/mL for formonetion, respectively. The limits of quantification(LOQ) and detection(LOD) were 0.4 μg/mL and 0.08 μg/m L for calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside, 0.2 μg/mL and 0.06 μg/m L for ononin, 0.4 μg/mL and 0.1 μg/mL for calycosin, 0.5 μg/m L and 0.1 μg/m L formonetion, respectively. The standard recoveries were in the range of 96.5%-104.7%. The developed method has successfully been used for the determination of four main flavonoids in Astragali Radix from various sources and can be used for identification, differentiation and quality evaluation of Astragali Radix.

Effect of Solution Concentration on the Electrospray/Electrospinning Transition and on the Crystalline Phase of PVDF

A study was conducted regarding the effect of concentration of poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and PVDF/DMF/acetone solutions on the transition between electrospray and electrospinning and on the formation of the ? and ? crystalline phases of PVDF. The crystalline phases present in the samples, crystallinity and morphology were determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Low concentration solutions resulted in films consisting of small droplets (electrospray) containing predominantly the ? phase. High concentration solutions resulted in a non-woven mesh of nano-to-micron diameter fibers (electrospinning) containing exclusively the ? phase. These results showed that, the formation of this phase in the electrospinning is related mainly to the solvent evaporation rate, and not to drawing experienced by the polymer during the process. Solvent type affected the amount of crystalline phase present, the boundary concentration between the two processes and the average diameter of fibers. Meshes processed by electrospinning display a degree of crystallinity higher than the films obtained by electrospray.

Comparison of ESI–and APCI–LC–MS/MS methods:A case study of levonorgestrel in human plasma

Electrospray ionization(ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization(APCI) techniques for liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry(LC–MS/MS) determination of levonorgestrel were evaluated.In consideration of difference in ionization mechanism,the two ionization sources were compared in terms of LC conditions,MS parameters and performance of method.The sensitivity for detection of levonorgestrel with ESI was 0.25 ng/m L which was lower than 1 ng/m L with APCI.Matrix effects were evaluated for levonorgestrel and canrenone(internal standard,IS) in human plasma,and the results showed that APCI source appeared to be slightly less liable to matrix effect than ESI source.With an overall consideration,ESI was chosen as a better ionization technique for rapid and sensitive quantification of levonorgestrel.The optimized LC–ESI–MS/MS method was validated for a linear range of 0.25–50 ng/m L with a correlation coefficient ≥0.99.The intra-and inter-batch precision and accuracy were within 11.72% and 6.58%,respectively.The application of this method was demonstrated by a bioequivalence study following a single oral administration of 1.5 mg levonorgestrel tablets in 21 Chinese healthy female volunteers.

Influence of solvent mixtures on HPMCAS-celecoxib microparticles prepared by electrospraying

Hypromellose acetate succinate(HPMCAS) microparticles containing the poorly-water soluble drug celecoxib(CEL) were prepared by electrospraying intended for oral drug delivery. Various solvent mixtures with different solubility for CEL and HPMCAS were used to induce changes in the polymer structural conformation of the microparticles. The performance of the prepared microparticles was evaluated by studying the solid state from, particle size and morphology, radial drug distribution and drug release. CEL was amorphous in all electrosprayed HPMCAS microparticles. The particle size and morphology was dependent on the solubility of HPMCAS in the solvent mixture used with poorer solvents resulting in smaller microparticles with rougher appearance. The CEL distribution on the particles surface was relatively homogeneous and similar for all microparticles. Drug release from the microparticles was observed at a higher rate depending on the solubility of HPMCAS in the solvent used for electrospraying, and in all cases an at least 4-fold higher rate was observed compared with the crystalline drug. Drug precipitation from the supersaturated solution was inhibited by HPMCAS for all microparticles based on its parachute effect while crystalline CEL did not reach supersaturation. This study demonstrated that electrospraying can be used to produce microparticles with tailored properties for pharmaceutical application by adjusting solvent selection.

Printing photovoltaics by electrospray

Solution processible photovoltaics(PV)are poised to play an important role in scalable manufacturing of low-cost solar cells.Electrospray is uniquely suited for fabricating PVs due to its several desirable characteristics of an ideal manufacturing process such as compatibility with roll-to-roll production processes,tunability and uniformity of droplet size,capability of operating at atmospheric pressure,and negligible material waste and nano structures.This review begins with an introduction of the fundamentals and unique properties of electrospray.We put emphasis on the evaporation time and residence time that jointly affect the deposition outcome.Then we review the efforts of electrospray printing polymer solar cells,perovskite solar cells,and dye sensitized solar cells.Collectively,these results demonstrate the advantages of electrospray for solution processed PV.Electrospray has also exhibited the capability of producing uniform films as well as nanostructured and even multiscale films.So far,the electrospray has been found to improve active layer morphology,and create devices with efficiencies comparable with that of spin-coating.Finally,we discuss challenges and research opportunities that enable electrospray to become a mainstream technique for industrial scale production.