Search

The rapid separation of mixtures of six peptides using porous polymer monolithic layers in electrophoresis and pressurized planar electrochromatography modes has been achieved. The separations in the former mode were performed on a generic hydrophobic poly(butyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) layer with no ionizable functionalities and required 2 min. This layer also enabled the separation of three oligonucleotides. The separation in the pressurized planar electrochromatographic mode was carried out using a negatively charged layer prepared via cografting of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate on top of the generic hydrophobic monolith and was completed in 1 min.

This report describes the first results from coupling of pressurized planar electrochromatography (PPEC) and desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) mass spectrometry (MS). Nine analytes were separated in 2.0 min by PPEC and detected by direct analysis of the TLC plate using DESI coupled to a tandem mass spectrometer. The total analysis time was less than 10 min and sample preparation was minimal. Combination of DESI–MS with PPEC enhances the specificity and sensitivity of detection of analytes in a mixture.