Nanomanipulation coupled nanospray mass spectrometry (NMS)

摘要

A coupled nanomanipulation and nanospray mass spectrometry (NMS) system for single cell, single organelle, and ultra-trace molecular analysis is disclosed herein. The system primarily comprises a bio-workstation coupled to a NMS. The bio-workstation primarily comprises of a nanomanipulator stage with a plurality of nano-positioners attached to a cabinet with a piezo voltage source and a pressure injector. The present invention further describes a fingerprint lift method that when coupled with the system disclosed herein can be used for retrieval and analysis of trace amounts of drug and explosive residues. The system described herein has been used in the areas of trace and document analysis within the forensic field, trace fiber analysis, and electrostatic lifts for illicit drugs, as well as document and painting analysis.

主权项

1. A fingerprint lift method for detecting trace amounts of one or more analytes from a solid substrate comprising the steps of:
providing a cast, a mould or any other solid impression of a human finger, wherein the cast or the mould comprises one or more ridges duplicating the ridges found on the human finger; saturating the cast, the mould or the solid impression with an oil, a grease or a lipid by a spraying, a dipping or a coating process; lifting the analytes from the solid substrate by pressing or contacting the cast, the mould or the solid impression with the substrate; transferring the lifted analytes from the solid substrate to a microscopic slide or any other suitable solid support; and detecting the one or more analytes by generating a mass spectrum in a mass spectrometer, wherein the detection is done by identifying a m/z ratio of the analytes in the mass spectrum.