FULLY AUTOMATED SAMPLE PREPARATION AND ELECTROSPRAY MASS-SPECTROMETRYANALYSIS

A fully automated sample preparation-mass spectrometry system has been described which prepares samples prior to electrospray mass spectrome try analysis, injects the samples, and acquires and processes the data , Fifty samples can be analysed without operator intervention within 8 hours, This type of system ensures optimum use of both the mass spect rometer, which can be in operation 24 hours per day, and the mass spec troscopist, who can concentrate on more challenging samples and spectr al interpretation, The laboratory robot system used can be easily adap ted for different types of sample preparation and other methods of ana lysis, For example, in addition to a spectrum exhibiting mainly proton ated of deprotonated molecular ions, data could be acquired concurrent ly with a higher cone voltage, or under tandem mass spectrometry condi tions, to generate structurally informative fragment ions, This sample preparation method has been adapted to encompass a variety of samples such as proteins and nucleic acids.