Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A liquid junction interface for coupling a zone electrophoresis separation column with an ion spray chamber/mass spectrometer system wherein said junction comprises a means for adding make-up buffer in an amount which increases the flow rate of the zone electrophoresis column eluent passing to an ion/spray mass spectrometer detector system to make said flow rate compatible with said ion spray/spectrometer in on-line separation/detection of analyte compositions and mixtures; wherein said junction comprises a zone communicating with: (1) the exit end of the electrophoresis column; (2) a conduit having a first end proximate to (1) but separated therefrom to form a gap and a second end communicating with the ion spray mass spectrometer system; (3) a reservoir adapted to contain buffer and to supply said buffer to said zone and to surround (1) and the first end of conduit (2) including the said gap separating (1) and said first end of conduit (2).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
152 words
A liquid junction interface for coupling a zone electrophoresis separation column with an ion spray chamber/mass spectrometer system wherein said junction comprises a means for adding make-up buffer in an amount which increases the flow rate of the zone electrophoresis column eluent passing to an ion/spray mass spectrometer detector system to make said flow rate compatible with said ion spray/spectrometer in on-line separation/detection of analyte compositions and mixtures; wherein said junction comprises a zone communicating with: (1) the exit end of the electrophoresis column; (2) a conduit having a first end proximate to (1) but separated therefrom to form a gap and a second end communicating with the ion spray mass spectrometer system; (3) a reservoir adapted to contain buffer and to supply said buffer to said zone and to surround (1) and the first end of conduit (2) including the said gap separating (1) and said first end of conduit (2).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flow rate of the analyte stream in the electrophoresis separator is from about 0.1 μL to about 1.0 μL per minute and the flow rate of the analyte stream entering the ion spray mass spectrometer is from about 1.0 to about 50 μL/minute.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electrophoresis separator is selected from the group consisting of moving boundary electrophoresis, isotachophoresis, zone electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing separators.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the separator is a capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) separator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The interface of claim 1 wherein said gap is from about 10 μm to about 25 μm and said eluent flow rate is increased from about 0.1 to 1.0 μL/min to about 1.0 to 50 μL/minute.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The interface of claim 5 wherein said gap is from about 20 μm to about 25 μm and the increased flow rate is from about 10 to 20 μL/minute.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
89 words
An apparatus for the analysis of biological fluid analytes which comprises a CZE first capillary column, an on-line mass spectrometer detector for detection and analysis of an analyte having charged particles, an ion spray interface positioned before the mass spectrometer, and further comprising a conduit means adapted to receive the CZE eluent exiting the exit end of the CZE capillary and to deliver it to the said ion spray interface, and a liquid junction interface of claim 6 positioned between the CZE capillary column and the ion spray interface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
191 words
An apparatus for separating and detecting components of an analyte stream comprising a capillary zone electrophoresis separator (CZE), an ion spray/mass spectrometer (MS) detector system and a means for adding a make-up buffer to the analyte stream between the electrophoresis separator and the ion spray mass spectrometer system in an amount which increases the flow rate of analyte stream exiting the electrophoresis separator and makes it compatible with the flow rate required by the ion spray MS detector and allows detection of the separated components at high sensitivity and without substantial peak broadening; and further comprising a conduit means adapted to receive the CZE eluent exiting the end of the CZE capillary and to deliver the eluent plus make-up buffer to the said ion spray interface; wherein said means for adding make-up buffer comprises the liquid junction of claim 1; the said gap through which make-up buffer passes is from about 10 to 25 μm; said flow rate of the analyte stream is increased from about 0.1 to 1.0 μL/minute to about 1.0 50 μL/minute; the CZE capillary is a fused silica capillary and said conduit is a stainless steel capillary.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The liquid junction interface of claim 1, which further comprises a means for adjusting the said gap.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The liquid junction interface of claim 1, wherein said ion spray mass spectrometer system is an electrospray/mass spectrometer system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
223 words
A process for analyzing at high separation efficiencies small amounts of biological samples having one or more analyte components using an electrophoresis column interfaced via a liquid junction with an ion spray chamber/mass spectrometer detector which comprises: passing a biological sample through a electrophoresis capillary separation column to separate the analyte components in the eluent stream exiting the electrophoresis column; adding make-up buffer to the eluent stream to form an analyte stream consisting of eluent plus make-up buffer; detecting at high sensitivity and without peak broadening the said analyte components in an ion spray/mass spectrometer system; wherein said make-up buffer is added via the liquid junction in an amount sufficient to increase the flow rate of the analyte stream to make the flow rate compatible with said ion spray/spectrometer in on-line separation/detection of analyte compositions and mixtures; said liquid junction interface comprising a zone communicating with: (1) the exit end of the electrophoresis column; (2) a capillary conduit having a first end proximate to (1) but separated therefrom to form a gap and a second end communicating with the ion spray/mass spectrometer system; (3) a reservoir adapted to contain buffer and to supply said buffer to said zone and to surround (1) and the first end of said conduit (2) including the said gap separating (1) and said first end of conduit (2).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
223 words
A process for analyzing at high separation efficiencies small amounts of biological samples having one or more analyte components using an electrophoresis column interfaced via a liquid junction with an ion spray chamber/mass spectrometer detector which comprises: passing a biological sample through a electrophoresis capillary separation column to separate the analyte components in the eluent stream exiting the electrophoresis column; adding make-up buffer to the eluent stream to form an analyte stream consisting of eluent plus make-up buffer; detecting at high sensitivity and without peak broadening the said analyte components in an ion spray/mass spectrometer system; wherein said make-up buffer is added via the liquid junction in an amount sufficient to increase the flow rate of the analyte stream to make the flow rate compatible with said ion spray/spectrometer in on-line separation/detection of analyte compositions and mixtures; said liquid junction interface comprising a zone communicating with: (1) the exit end of the electrophoresis column; (2) a capillary conduit having a first end proximate to (1) but separated therefrom to form a gap and a second end communicating with the ion spray/mass spectrometer system; (3) a reservoir adapted to contain buffer and to supply said buffer to said zone and to surround (1) and the first end of said conduit (2) including the said gap separating (1) and said first end of conduit (2).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the CZE column is operated at about 27 kv, the ion spray capillary is at 3 kv, the buffer is 50/50 by volume acetonitrile/30 mM ammonium acetate/acetic acid having a pH of from about 4 to 8.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the separation efficiency is from about 50,000 to about 1,000,000 theoretical plates.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the biological sample comprises amino acid sequences, peptide dynorphins, sulfonated azo dyes, leucine enkaphalin, or enzymatic digests.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the biological sample analyte comprises tryptic digest of recombinant bovine somatotropin.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 11, wherein said ion spray is an electrospray.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 11, wherein said junction further comprises a means for adjusting said gap.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 11, wherein said gap is from about 10 μm to about 25 μm said eluent flow rate is increased from about 0.1 to 1.0 μL/minute to about 1.0 to 50 μL/minute.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 11, wherein said gap is from about 20 μm to about 25 μm and the increased flow rate is from about 10 to 20 μL/minute.