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ItemSeaweed allelopathy against coral: surface distribution of seaweed secondary metabolites by imaging mass sepctrometry(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2012-08-16) Andras, Tiffany D.Coral reefs are in global decline, with seaweeds increasing as corals decrease. Though seaweeds have been shown to inhibit coral growth, recruitment, and survivorship, the mechanism of these interactions is poorly known. Here we use field experiments to show that contact with four common seaweeds induces bleaching on natural colonies of Porites rus. Controls in contact with inert, plastic mimics of seaweeds did not bleach, suggesting treatment effects resulted from allelopathy rather than shading, abrasion, or physical contact. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the hydrophobic extract from the red alga Phacelocarpus neurymenioides revealed a previously characterized antibacterial metabolite, Neurymenolide A, as the main allelopathic agent. For allelopathy of lipid soluble metabolites to be effective, the metabolites would need to be deployed on algal surfaces where they could transfer to corals on contact. We used desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) to visualize and quantify Neurymenolide A on the surface of P. neurymenioides and found the metabolite on all surfaces analyzed. The highest concentrations of Neurymenolide A were on basal portions of blades where the plant is most likely to contact other benthic competitors.
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ItemNew methods for the examination of poor quality medicines(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2011-08-10) Hostetler, Dana M.The production and distribution of counterfeit drugs is a critical health problem that plagues nations worldwide. The presence of counterfeit antimalarials has become especially worrying, as these drugs are most often needed by those living in nations whose resources to verify the medicine supply are lacking. Rapid analysis methods used for screening large quantities of poor quality antimalarials are critical in the battle to protect those in less developed regions of the world. Simple, cost effective analysis methods that can be used in the field must be developed so those whose governments cannot afford to maintain medicine regulatory agencies can still have faith in their medicinal supply. A very powerful screening method, Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS) has been used to investigate thousands of poor quality medicines. This method, however, is known to fragment molecules more readily than commonly used, 'softer' ionization methods, such as electrospray ionization. Excess fragmentation in 'harder' ionization sources is due to deposition of additional internal energy to the ionized molecules. This internal energy deposition can be measured, so the analyst can be knowledgeable as to what to expect when examining unknowns using this recently developed ionization source. Quantitation of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in pharmaceuticals is crucial to the determination of what class a poor quality medicine fits into. Because poor quality drugs can be of different types, it is important to accurately classify them, in hopes of improving the supply of medicines available to those in less developed regions of the world. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is most commonly used to quantify the active pharmaceutical ingredient in poor quality medicines, however, this method is time consuming, preventing its use in high throughput settings. During the course of my research, hundreds of poor quality pharmaceuticals were analyzed using DART-MS. The active pharmaceutical ingredient was detected during the rapid screening for many of these drugs, however, a more in depth analysis would often reveal less than the expected quantity of active ingredient. A rapid non-chromatographic quantitation method was developed using a mass spectrometer as the detector. This method allows for both quantitative and qualitative information regarding a specific sample to be obtained simultaneously, saving the analyst time and resources. Utilizing this non- chromatographic mass spectrometric method, degradation products have been identified, thus increasing our ability to classify drugs into their respective divisions.
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ItemFundamentals of ambient metastable-induced chemical ionization mass spectrometry and atmospheric pressure ion mobility spectrometry(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2011-06-28) Harris, Glenn A.Molecular ionization is owed much of its development from the early implementation of electron ionization (EI). Although dramatically increasing the library of compounds discovered, an inherent problem with EI was the low abundance of molecular ions detected due to high fragmentation leading to the difficult task of the correct chemical identification after mass spectrometry (MS). These problems stimulated the research into new ionization methods which sought to "soften" the ionization process. In the late 1980s the advancements of ionization techniques was thought to have reached its pinnacle with both electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI). Both ionization techniques allowed for "soft" ionization of large molecular weight and/or labile compounds for intact characterization by MS. Albeit pervasive, neither ESI nor MALDI can be viewed as "magic bullet" ionization techniques. Both techniques require sample preparation which often included native sample destruction, and operation of these techniques took place in sealed enclosures and often, reduced pressure conditions. New open-air ionization techniques termed "ambient MS" enable direct analysis of samples of various physical states, sizes and shapes. One particular technique named Direct Analysis In Real Time (DART) has been steadily growing as one of the ambient tools of choice to ionize small molecular weight (< 1000 Da) molecules with a wide range of polarities. Although there is a large list of reported applications using DART as an ionization source, there have not been many studies investigating the fundamental properties of DART desorption and ionization mechanisms. The work presented in this thesis is aimed to provide in depth findings on the physicochemical phenomena during open-air DART desorption and ionization MS and current application developments. A review of recent ambient plasma-based desorption/ionization techniques for analytical MS is presented in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 presents the first investigations into the atmospheric pressure ion transport phenomena during DART analysis. Chapter 3 provides a comparison on the internal energy deposition processes during DART and pneumatically assisted-ESI. Chapter 4 investigates the complex spatially-dependent sampling sensitivity, dynamic range and ion suppression effects present in most DART experiments. New implementations and applications with DART are shown in Chapters 5 and 6. In Chapter 5, DART is coupled to multiplexed drift tube ion mobility spectrometry as a potential fieldable platform for the detection of toxic industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents simulants. In Chapter 6, transmission-mode DART is shown to be an effective method for reproducible sampling from materials which allow for gas to flow through it. Also, Chapter 6 provides a description of a MS imaging platform coupling infrared laser ablation and DART-like phenomena. Finally, in Chapter 7 I will provide perspective on the work completed with DART and the tasks and goals that future studies should focus on.
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ItemHigh throughput mass spectrometry for microbial identification(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2011-04-04) Pierce, CarrieBacteria cause significant morbidity and mortality throughout the world, including deadly diseases such as tuberculosis, meningitis, cholera, and pneumonia. Timely and accurate bacterial identification is critical in areas such as clinical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, food safety, water and air quality assessment, and identification of biological threat agents. At present, there is an established need for high throughput, sensitive, selective, and rapid methods for the detection of pathogenic bacteria, as existing methods, while nominally effective, have failed to sufficiently reduce the massive impact of bacterial contamination and infection. The work presented in this thesis focuses on addressing this need and augmenting conventional microorganism research through development of mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic applications. MS, a well established tool for addressing biological problems, offers a broad range of laboratory procedures that can be used for taxonomic classification and identification of microorganisms. These methods provide a powerful complement to many of the widely used molecular biology approaches and play critical functions in various fields of science. While implementation of modern biomolecule-identifying instrumentation, such as MS, has long been postulated to have a role in the microbiology laboratory, it has yet to be accepted on a large scale. Described in this document are MS methods that erect strong foundations on which new bacterial diagnostics may be based. A general introduction on key aspects of this work is presented in Chapter 1, where different approaches for detection of pathogenic bacteria are reviewed, and an overview regarding MS and microbial identification is provided. Chapter 2 presents the first implementation of microbial identification via rapid, open air Direct Analysis in Real Time MS (DART MS) to generate ions directly from microbial samples, including the disease-causing bacteria, Coxiella burnetii, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Escherichia coli. Chapter 3 expands on whole cell C. burnetii MS analysis and presents a rapid differentiation method to the strain-level for C. burnetii using mass profiling/fingerprinting matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) MS and multivariate pattern recognition. Chapter 4 presents a unique "top-down" proteomics approach using 15N-labeled bacteriophage amplification coupled with MALDI-TOF MS as a detector for the rapid and selective identification of Staphylococcus aureus. Chapter 5 extends the idea of using isotopically labeled bacteriophage amplification by implementing a "bottom-up" proteomics approach that not only identifies S. aureus in a sample, but also quantifies the bacterial concentration in the sample using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MS/MS) as a detector. In conclusion, Chapter 6, summarizes and contextualizes the work presented in this dissertation, and outlines how future research can build upon the experimentation detailed in this document.
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ItemNext generation of multifunctional scanning probes(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010-11-15) Moon, Jong SeokThe goal of this thesis was the advanced design, fabrication, and application of combined atomic force microscopy - scanning electrochemical microscopy (AFMSECM) probes for high-resolution topographical and electrochemical imaging. The first part of the thesis describes innovative approaches for the optimization of AFM-SECM probe fabrication with recessed frame electrodes. For this purpose, commercial silicon nitride AFM cantilevers were modified using optimized critical fabrication processes including improved metallization for the deposition of the electrode layer, and novel insulation strategies for ensuring localized electrochemical signals. As a novel approach for the insulation of AFM-SECM probes, sandwiched layers of PECVD SixNy and SiO2, and plasma-deposited PFE films were applied and tested. Using sandwiched PECVD SixNy and SiO2 layers, AFM-SECM probes providing straight (unbent) cantilevers along with excellent insulation characteristics facilitating the functionality of the integrated electrode were reproducibly obtained. Alternatively, PFE thin films were tested according to their utility for serving as a mechanically flexible insulating layer for AFM-SECM probes. The electrochemical characterization of PFEinsulated AFM-SECM probes revealed excellent insulating properties at an insulation thickness of only approx. 400 nm. Finally, AFM-SECM cantilevers prepared via both insulation strategies were successfully tested during AFM-SECM imaging experiments. In the second part of this thesis, disk-shaped nanoelectrodes were for the first time integrated into AFM probes for enabling high-resolution AFM-SECM measurements. Disk electrodes with an electrode radius < 100 nm were realized, which provides a significantly improved lateral resolution for SECM experiments performed in synchronicity with AFM imaging. Furthermore, the developed fabrication scheme enables producing AFM-SECM probes with integrated disk nanoelectrodes at significantly reduced time and cost based on a highly reproducible semi-batch fabrication process providing bifunctional probes at a wafer scale. The development of a detailed processing strategy was accompanied by extensive simulation results for developing a fundamental understanding on the electrochemical properties of AFM-SECM probes with nanoscale electrodes, and for optimizing the associated processing parameters. Thus fabricated probes were electrochemically characterized, and their performance was demonstrated via bifunctional imaging at model samples. The third part of this thesis describes the development and characterization of the first AFM tip-integrated potentiometric sensors based on solid-state electrodes with submicrometer dimensions enabling laterally resolved pH imaging. Antimony and iridium oxides were applied as the pH sensitive electrode material, and have been integrated into the AFM probes via conventional microfabrication strategies. The pH response of such AFM tip-integrated integrated pH microsensors was tested for both material systems, and first studies were performed demonstrating localized pH measurements at a model system.
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ItemDevelopment and fundamental characterization of a nanoelectrospray ionization atmospheric pressure drift time ion mobility spectrometer(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010-04-06) Kwasnik, MarkDrift time ion mobility spectrometry (DTIMS) is a rapid post ionization gas-phase separation technique that distinguishes between compounds based on their differences in reduced mass, charge and collisional cross-section while under a weak, time-invariant electric field. Standalone DTIMS is currently employed throughout the world for the detection of explosives, drugs and chemical-warfare agents. The coupling of IMS to MS (IM-MS) has enabled the performance of time-nested multidimensional separations with high sample throughput and enhanced peak capacity, allowing for the separation of ions not only based on their mass/charge (m/z) ratios, but also their shape. This allows for the elucidation of valuable structural information that can be utilized for determining gas phase ion conformation and differentiation between closely related ionic species. Over the past decade, these advances have transformed IM-MS applications and instrumental designs into one of the most rapidly growing areas of mass spectrometry. The work presented in this thesis is aimed at the development and subsequent characterization of a novel high-resolution resistive-glass atmospheric pressure DTIMS, and the application of this prototype DTIMS to the detection of environmentally relevant compounds. A review of the different types of ion mobility spectrometers, their principles of operation, and the advantages and disadvantages of each type are presented in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 describes the design and development of our prototype resistive glass DTIMS. A detailed description of the IMS hardware, including the ion sources, custom-built control computer, pulsing electronics, data acquisition system, and the timing schemes developed to operate the instrument in standalone DTIMS, multiplexed DTIMS, and IM-MS mode, are presented. Chapter 3 presents an initial characterization of the performance of a prototype resistive glass DTIMS under a wide range of instrumental parameters and also characterizes the radial ion distribution of the ions in the drift region of the spectrometer. Chapter 4 addresses the lack of sensitivity in DTIMS and explores ion trapping and multiplexing methods, introduces the principles of multiplexing and describes an extended multiplexing approach that encompasses arbitrary binary ion injection waveforms with variable duty cycles. Chapter 5 presents a detailed theoretical and experimental study of the separation power of our DTIMS and presents an evaluation of the field homogeneity and the performance of the ion gate.
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ItemDevelopment of high-sensitivity atmospheric pressure (ap) matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (maldi) and open air ionization techniques for the analysis of biomolecules by mass spectrometry(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010-03-29) Navare, Arti T.Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) has been celebrated as a soft ionization method for analyzing very diverse biological species including large proteins, peptides, carbohydrates, lipids and metabolites. The fact that MALDI is tolerant to salts and buffers and that it mostly produces singly charged ions from intact biomolecules is considered highly advantageous over electrospray ionization (ESI). Almost two decades after the introduction of vacuum MALDI, the technique was successfully implemented under atmospheric pressure (AP) conditions by Laiko and co-workers. Some of the most salient advantages of AP-MALDI over vacuum MALDI are its ability to generate intact ions from labile species with minimal fragmentation due to collisional cooling under AP, the ability of performing MSn experiments, and its exchangeability with other ion sources. However, AP-MALDI suffers from limited sensitivity due to low ion transmission efficiency under AP conditions. Because sensitivity is a function of the sample pretreatment method of choice, both preconcentration and selective sample fractionation can be used during the initial stages of the analytical pipeline to improve detectability. To that end, the first part of the work presented in this thesis is aimed at investigating various approaches to improve the sensitivity of AP-MALDI for mass spectrometric analysis of biomolecules. Chapter 1 reviews the history of laser desorption ionization (LDI), presenting salient features of vacuum MALDI and AP-MALDI, and concludes with a brief overview of leading ambient ionization techniques, such as Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) ionization. Chapter 2 presents an investigation of an on chip sample preconcentration approach coupled to AP-MALDI for high-sensitivity analysis of neuropeptides extracted from Aedes aegypti mosquito heads. The theme of exploring efficient and reproducible purification methods for complex biosamples is continued in Chapter 3, where an evaluation of new on-tip solid-phase extraction (SPE) micro columns with various functional groups is presented. A second approach for enhancing AP-MALDI sensitivity by constructing a new pneumatically-assisted (PA) AP-MALDI ion source is presented in Chapter 4, where various factors affecting the performance of this device are investigated. Chapter 5 describes work involving the evaluation of DART ionization as a high-throughput method for the detection and identification of small terpene molecules central to the Aedes aegypti mosquito lifecycle.