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Development of new analytical methods for Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry-based applications. Focus on proteins, polymers and small molecules
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During the early life of Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI), it
took the (bio)scientific community a while to realize the great potential of the technique
over a wide range of analytical problems, from the discovery or identification of (mostly)
organic (macro)molecules through to structure analysis and function. Since then, the
practical use of MALDI-MS has grown almost exponentially and it is today an
indispensable laboratory tool, particularly in the life sciences.
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) is a “soft” ionization
technique, which allows for the sensitive detection of large, non-volatile and labile
molecules by mass spectrometry. It is fast, allowing the analysis of hundreds of samples
per day. It is expensive, as almost all mass spectrometry techniques, yet it is costeffective.
Currently the tandem MS and ion different fragmentation capabilities of most
MALDI systems add an extra value to this technique as it allows for structural
characterization of (bio)molecules. In addition to molecular identification and
characterization, MALDI is an invaluable tool to profile and classify complex samples.
In spite of its many advantages, MALDI has one achilles tendon. If the sample is
not conveniently prepared, the ionization is hampered and then the analysis is not
possible. This is the reason why sample treatment for MALDI analysis is a never-ending
hot topic in analytical chemistry. Thus, the methods used to identify proteins do not work
with polymers and vice versa. In other words, for each new molecule a sample treatment
optimization is needed so an adequate, well-defined, method of analysis is obtained. For
this reason this thesis focused in the development of new sample treatments for MALDIbased
applications. To this end and when possible, ultrasonic energy is used as a tool to
simplify the sample handling by matching the analytical minimalism concept as defined
by Halls1. The molecules for which the new sample treatments were developed were
proteins, polymers and small inorganic molecules.
MALDI is the technique of preference for the analysis of polymers as with one
single analysis the polymer´s typical values of number-average molecular weight, Mn, (...)
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Palavras-chave
MALDI-TOF MS Sample treatment Ultrasound Polymers Protein identification Chemosensor