Small- and large-sized iron(II, III) oxide nanoparticles for surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry of small biomolecules.
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ABSTRACT: RATIONALE:Common surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization (SALDI) surfaces are functionalized to improve mass spectrometric detection. Such surfaces are selective to certain group(s) of compounds. The application of universal and sensitive SALDI surfaces with appropriate size/surface area is paramount. In this study, two different sizes/surface areas of Fe3 O4 are compared as SALDI surfaces. METHODS:For accurate surface area comparisons, the physical properties of the Fe3 O4 nanoparticles used as SALDI surfaces were determined using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and N2 Brunauer-Emmet-Teller adsorption techniques. SALDI mass spectrometry (MS) data were acquired using a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer operated in the linear mode and equipped with a 50-Hz pulsed nitrogen laser (at 337?nm). Small biomolecules (adenosine, glucose, sucrose, tryptophan, and tripeptide) and a real sample (human serum) were analyzed. RESULTS:The average sizes/specific surface areas of the SALDI surfaces of the small- and large-sized Fe3 O4 nanoparticles were ~21?nm/~82?m2 /g and ~39?nm/~38?m2 /g, respectively. An overall ~2.0-fold enhancement in signal-to-noise ratios was observed for the ionic species of the analyzed biomolecules in SALDI-MS using small-sized Fe3 O4 in comparison to large-sized Fe3 O4 nanoparticles. MS sensitivity from adenosine calibration curves (concentration between 0.05 and 10.0 mM) was ~2.0-fold higher for small-sized than large-sized Fe3 O4 nanoparticles as SALDI surfaces. CONCLUSIONS:We have shown that transition-metal oxides such as Fe3 O4 nanoparticles are suitable and efficient surfaces for SALDI-TOF-MS analysis of small biomolecules. We observed improvement in signal-to-noise ratios and detection sensitivity for the analyzed samples from SALDI surfaces using small-sized (possessing larger surface area) than large-sized Fe3 O4 nanoparticles.
SUBMITTER: Olaitan AD
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6743475 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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