Ionization techniques that can rapidly extract samples stored on paper for mass spectrometry analysis can be used to screen many samples quickly with little sample preparation. Surface acoustic wave devices are microelectromechancial systems that can simultaneously pump liquid through paper substrates and aerosolize and ionize it. In this work, the surface acoustic wave nebulization (SAWN) technique is coupled with paper-based sample delivery, and its capabilities as a rapid extraction and ionization method for mass spectrometry analysis are demonstrated.The extractive capabilities of paper-SAWN were demonstrated by imaging the extraction of ink stored on paper and detecting the characteristic rhodamine peak via mass spectrometry. To examine its potential use in field screening tests for falsified pharmaceuticals using paper analytical devices, studies were conducted on different pharmaceuticals stored on paper for up to 30 days in an open, uncontrolled environment. These studies explored the effects of different solvents and drying times (from minutes to days) on the analysis of artesunate, quinine, and pyrimethamine. Overall, even at 30 days drying time each pharmaceutical could still be extracted, detected, and verified via tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) in under two minutes of sample preparation. These results illustrate the potential power of paper-SAWN as a rapid ionization technique for samples stored on paper and similar substrates. Figure 1. (a) Extraction of ink by SAW. (b) Mass spectra of rhodamine in red Sharpie� ink.

Paper-surface acoustic wave nebulization mass spectrometry analysis of analytes stored on paper substrates

246th National Meeting (2013)

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