Electrospray mass spectroscopy of macromolecules: Application of an ion-drift spectrometer

Abstract

Macroions of lysozyme and polystyrene produced by the electrospraying of dilute solutions of these macromolecules into nitrogen gas at atmospheric pressure have been studied by means of the measurement of their mobilities in nitrogen by means of an ion-drift spectrometer. In the case of polystyrene mainly clusters of negative macroions have been detected and studied, but in the case of lysozyme macroions containing one, two or three positive charges can be identified. The effect of change of solution concentration, temperature and pressure in the ion-drift tube on the data obtained in the case of polystyrene has been observed.