An interface has been developed for the direct coupling of Open Tubular Liquid Chromatography (OTLC) and Mass Spectrometry. The interface has similarities to both direct liquid introduction (DLI) and thermospray (TSP) interface designs. The interface is introduced into the vacuum system via the solid probe inlet; thus, it does not compromise the use of other inlet systems, such as GC, DLI, or direct probe. The capabilities of this interface have been extended to magnetic sector instruments. The presence of a high potential electric field has aided in the ionization of compounds, such as fatty acids, amino acids and bases such as adenine which could not be analyzed on a quadrupole MS. The concept has been extended to continuous flow FAB/MS where the OTLC column is encased in a sheath column. The sheath column delivers the matrix to the probe tip while the inner column delivers the analyte. Detection levels of low programs for a tripeptide have been achieved. We are currently modifying this CF/FAB design for use in capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) MS.
