[TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITY 2007-062]

Multi-Channel Nanoelectrospray (MCN) Emitters - "Plug, Play and Walk Away"

> Printer friendly version

Description:
Electrospray ionization (ESI) has become the preferred method of coupling liquid separation
techniques to a mass spectrometer (MS). Currently, pulled-glass capillaries are widely employed
to improve electrospray performance at nL/min flow rates. Essential to the performance of
nano-ESI is a small emitter orifice through which the fluidic sample is electrosprayed into the
MS. While effective for stabilizing low flow rates, pulled-tip emitters possesses several technical
limitations which include susceptibility to clogging, limited range of possible flow rates and poor
tip-to-tip reproducibility.

Figure 1: Queen's University MCN Emitter

Background:

Researcher’s at Queen’s University have developed a novel multi-channel nanoelectrospray
(MCN) emitter which uses a micro-structured silica fibre as a “shower head” to split the fluidic
flow. This new class of ESI-MS emitters offers end users the same signal sensitivities at 1000-
300nL/minute flow rates they have come expect from currently available high performance
emitters, but with significant and unprecedented improvements in tip robustness. By virtue of
their multi-channel construction, MCN emitters last longer and produce almost no fluidic
backpressure. Extremely resistant to clogging, MCN emitters allow the user to plug in the
emitter, begin the measurement and walk away.

Figure 2. Effects of exposing MCN and commercial tapered emitters to Hanks solution (a highly concentrated nutritive solution for culturing animal cells). MCN emitters resisted complete clogging even following the infusion of Hanks solution for 25 minutes and were able to fully recover and resume normal operation once infusion of Hanks solution was stopped.

PARTEQ Innovations is excited to be the first to offer the ESI-MS community research samples
of these revolutionary MCN ESI-MS emitters. Fabricated to exacting standards at Queen’s
University, the MCN emitters can be purchased in packages of five or 20. For ordering
information and additional technical notes, please refer to our Flintbox portal.

Custom-length emitters are also available. An additional charge of $6 per cm will be applied to
each emitter.

Contacts:

Sales inquiries:

Hassan Jaferi

hjaferi@parteqinnovations.com

P: +1. 613. 533. 6000 x79277

Technical inquiries:

Dr. Richard Oleschuk

oleschuk@chem.queensu.ca

P: +1. 613. 533. 6704
 
Ref: Tech ID 2007-062