Analysis of solids, liquids, and biological tissues using solids probe introduction at atmospheric pressure on commercial LC/MS instruments

Direct analysis of samples using atmospheric pressure ionization (API) provides a more rapid method for analysis of volatile and semivolatile compounds than vacuum solids probe methods and can be accomplished on commercial API mass spectrometers. With only a simple modification to either an electrospray (ESI) or atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source, solid as well as liquid samples can be analyzed in seconds. The method acts as a fast solids/liquid probe introduction as well as an alternative to the new direct analysis in real time (DART) and desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) methods for many compound types. Vaporization of materials occurs in the hot nitrogen gas stream flowing from an ESI or APCI probe. Ionization of the thermally induced vapors occurs by corona discharge under standard APCI conditions. Accurate mass and mass-selected fragmentation are demonstrated as is the ability to obtain ions from biological tissue, currency, and other objects placed in the path of the hot nitrogen stream.