Probe electrospray ionization
Open-knowledge reference entry
Probe electrospray ionization (PESI) is an electrospray-based ambient ionization technique which is coupled with mass spectrometry for sample analysis. Unlike traditional mass spectrometry ion sources which must be maintained in a vacuum, ambient ionization techniques permit sample ionization under ambient conditions, allowing for the high-throughput analysis of samples in their native state, often with minimal or no sample pre-treatment. The PESI ion source simply consists of a needle to which a high voltage is applied following sample pick-up, initiating electrospray directly from the solid needle.
History
Probe electrospray ionization is an ambient ionization mass spectrometry technique developed by Kenzo Hiraoka et al. at the University of Yamanashi, Japan. The technique was developed to address some of the issues associated with traditional electrospray ionization (ESI), including clogging of the capillary and contamination, whilst providing a means of rapid and direct sample analysis. Since its initial conception, various modified forms of the PESI ion source have been developed, and the PESI-MS system has been commercialized by instrument manufacturing company Shimadzu.
Principle of operation
The PESI ion source consists of a solid needle or wire which acts as both the sampling probe and electrospray emitter. The needle is moved up and down along a vertical axis, a process which can be either automated or manual. When the needle is lowered to the sampling stage, the tip of the needle briefly touches the surface of a typical liquid sample.
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