Desorption Mass Spectrometry:

                      A Powerful Tool for Analysis of Molecules and Elements

                                           Jan Preisler

                  Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry


Mass spectrometry is an essential analytical technique for protein research and the study of
biomolecules in general. Driven by the need to identify, characterize, and quantify analytes at
ever increasing sensitivity and speed, a range of new mass spectrometry–based analytical platforms
and experimental strategies has emerged.


In this lecture, an approach based on laser desorption ionization and time-of-flight (TOF) mass
spectrometry will be revealed. Presented applications, coupling with column separation techniques
and mass spectrometry imaging, benefit from high sample throughput achieved due to efficient
exploitation of the TOF mass analyzer speed. The TOF analyzers are naturally combined with
matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI), which is applied for analysis of both large
and small molecules. Moreover, the samples prepared for MALDI are ready for elemental analysis
using a variation of laser ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry.