High-Throughput Nanoliter Sampling and Direct Analysis of Biological Fluids Using Droplet Imbibition Mass Spectrometry

A high-throughput droplet imbibition mass spectrometry (MS) experiment is reported for the first time that allows direct analysis of ultra-small volumes of complex mixtures. In this experiment, an array of optimized tips of glass capillaries containing the analyte solution is sampled by rapidly moving charged microdroplets, which picks up (i.e., imbibes) the analyte and transfers it to a proximal mass spectrometer. The advantages associated with this droplet imbibition experiment include (1) ultra-small sample consumption (1.3 nL/ min), which reduces the matrix effect in complex mixture analysis, and (2) high surface activity, which eliminates ion suppression effects caused by competition for the space charge on the droplet surface. Collectively, the enhanced surface effect and small flow rates dramatically increase the sensitivity of the droplet imbibition MS approach. This was experimentally shown by constructing calibration curves for cocaine analysis in human raw urine and whole blood, achieving 2 and 7 pg/mL limits of detection, respectively. The high-throughput feature was demonstrated by analyzing five structurally different compounds in 20 s intervals. With the measured flow rate of 1.3 nL/min on a 5 mu m glass tip size, the results described in the current study showcase droplet imbibition MS to be a powerful and high-throughput alternative for conventional nano-electrospray ionization (flow rate <100 nL/min), which is the most efficient method for transferring small sample volumes to mass spectrometers.