Coupling Droplet Microfluidics with Mass Spectrometry for Ultrahigh-Throughput Analysis up to and Above 30Hz.

Here we use microdroplet generation microfluidics to supply picolitre aliquots of analyte for mass spectrometry analysis at rates up to and including 33 Hz. This is demonstrated for peptides and proteins on three commercially available mass spectrometers from salty solutions. Designs for chip-based interfaces that permit this coupling are presented and the merits and challenges of these interfaces are discussed. On an Orbitrap platform droplet infusion rates of 6 Hz are used for the analysis of cytochrome c, on a DTIMS Q-TOF similar rates were obtained and on a TWIMS Q-TOF utilizing IM-MS software rates up to 33 Hz are demonstrated for both peptides and proteins at concentrations down to 400 pg per aliquot.