Nanospray desorption electrospray ionization

Nanospray desorption electrospray ionization (nano-DESI) is an ambient pressure ionization technique used in mass spectrometry (MS) for chemical analysis of organic molecules.

[1] In this technique, analytes are desorbed into a liquid bridge formed between two capillaries and the sampling surface.

[1] High voltage (several kV) is applied between the inlet of the mass spectrometer and the primary capillary, creating a self-aspirating nanospray.

The liquid bridge is maintained by continuous flow of the solvent and the contact area between the solvent bridge and sample surface can be controlled by changing the solvent flow rate, varying the diameter of the utilized capillaries and regulating the distance between the sample and the nano-DESI probe.

[4] Nano-DESI has been applied for localized analysis of complex molecules and imaging of tissue sections, microbial communities and environmental samples.