Design and optimization of a micropump-based electrospray device for preparation of nitrocellulose substrates for plasma desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Details of a nitrocellulose (NC) substrate preparation technique in 252Cf plasma desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry were investigated using an electrospray device, in which a micropump was employed for solution delivery. The molecular ion yields for three standard proteins (porcine insulin, chicken-egg lysozyme and chymotrypsinogen A) were studied as a function of the electrosprayed NC layer thickness, spray rate, NC solution concentration and some other parameters. Optimal parameters of the NC substrate preparation procedure were determined, which include deposition of a layer of 250–750 μg cm−2 at up to 15 μl min−1 spray rate and up to 15 μg μl−1 solution concentration.