Sample Fragmentation Device Using Heating and Pressure Regulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for fragmenting proteins and peptides, such as pyrolysis DESI and high-pressure ESI, face issues with reproducibility and sensitivity due to water vaporization and high inner pressure requirements, respectively, which affect the efficiency and accuracy of mass spectrometry analysis.
Innovation Solution
A sample fragmentation device incorporating a liquid feeding pump, sample injector, heating unit, pressure regulating unit, and separation column, which maintains optimal inner pressure and prevents water vaporization by increasing the boiling point of the mobile phase, allowing for efficient hydrolysis and ion introduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pyrolysis heating is applied to fragment proteins, then fragmentation speed is improved, but water vaporization occurs causing loss of reproducibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter of the system by introducing a pressure regulating unit that maintains positive pressure (e.g., 0.1-10 MPa) in the heated pipe. This parameter change prevents water vaporization during heating by elevating the boiling point, thereby maintaining reproducibility while enabling rapid fragmentation through controlled heating.
2Productivity
If high pressure is applied in the ionization unit, then hydrolysis fragmentation is achieved, but mass spectrometer inner pressure cannot be maintained at optimal value
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the system into distinct pressure zones: a high-pressure zone in the heated pipe for hydrolysis fragmentation, and a normal-pressure zone in the mass spectrometer for optimal detection. The pressure regulating unit acts as a boundary between these zones, allowing independent pressure control in each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure regulating unit serves as an intermediary component between the high-pressure heated pipe and the normal-pressure mass spectrometer. It regulates and reduces the pressure from the heated pipe before the sample enters the mass spectrometer, thereby maintaining optimal pressure conditions in the detector while enabling high-pressure hydrolysis in the fragmentation zone.
3Reliability
If small pore diameter is used in the first pore electrode, then mass spectrometer pressure is maintained, but ion introduction amount is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure regulating unit acts as an intermediary that decouples the pressure requirements of the heated pipe from those of the mass spectrometer. This eliminates the need for small pore electrodes, allowing the use of larger pores that maintain high ion introduction amounts while the pressure regulator ensures proper pressure maintenance in the mass spectrometer.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid and reproducible fragmentation of proteins and peptides, maintaining high sensitivity and efficiency in mass spectrometry analysis without reducing ion introduction, thus improving the accuracy of degradation product identification.
Implementation Method 1
a heating unit for heating a pipe between the sample injector and the separation column
Implementation Method 2
a pressure regulating unit provided between the heating unit and the separation column for regulating the inner pressure of the pipe heated by the heating unit
Implementation Method 3
Water is thus not lost, making it possible to achieve fragmentation by hydrolysis
Data Source
AI summary
For increasing a speed of fragmentation of a sample, such as a protein and a peptide, to enhance introduction efficiency into a detector, such as a mass spectrometer, a liquid feeding pump 2, a sample injector 3, and a separation column 6 that are connected via pipes are included, and further, a heating unit 4 for heating a pipe between the sample injector 3 and the separation column 6, and a pressure regulating unit 5 provided between the heating unit 4 and the separation column 6 for regulating the inner pressure of the pipe heated by the heating unit 4, are included.