Recent developments and applications of high-performance chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The technique of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/electrospray ionization (ESI)/mass spectrometry (MS) is one of the most exciting develo pments of recent times in analytical methodology. With this combination, a variety of thermally labile, polar, and nonvolatile compounds present in a complex matrix can be separated and characterized unambiguously. This revie w will discuss the basics of ESI process, key issues of primary concern in the use of HPLC/ESI/MS, and various HPLC/ESI systems. An overview of timely applications of HPLC/ESI/MS in characterization of proteins, peptides, and oligosaccharides, analysis of combinatorial libraries, detection of posttr anslational modifications in proteins, degradation of bioactive peptides, a nd quantification of peptides, pharmaceutical drugs, toxins and their metab olites, will be presented.