SBIR Phase II: Miniature Mass Spectrometer for Liquids Analysis

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop novel instrumentation based on electrospray ionization (ESI) coupled with mass spectrometry for identifying and quantifying chemical species in liquid-phase samples in the field. The goal of this project is to employ an existing Minotaur miniature mass spectrometer (MS) to develop a portable, easy-to-operate detector that will provide real-time and highly sensitive detection of a broad range of chemical compounds in liquid samples in the field. The objectives of the research are to construct, integrate, and optimize an innovative miniature ESI source into the instrument to receive liquid samples and introduce the target analytes to the detector, while minimizing interference from background matrix constituents, and to fully develop and qualify the analytical characteristics and ease-of-use of the instrument during field operations. Commercially this development of the first field portable, miniaturized ESI-mass spectrometer will have commercial applications in several governmental and commercial sectors, and has the potential to impact society broadly by providing improved monitoring of water resources and protection of the public from chemical exposure resulting from hazardous material accidents or acts of terrorism. If successful, this research will lead directly to developments allowing for determination of compounds of biological origin, e.g. biomarkers, which will provide additional dimensions of information as to the content of analytical samples.