Two-dimensional TiO2 nanoflakes enable rapid SALDI-TOF-MS detection of toxic small molecules (dyes and their metabolites) in complex environments

Publication date: 1 May 2019

Source: Talanta, Volume 196

Author(s): Chan Gao, Deshuai Zhen, Ni He, Zhengbin An, Qiulan Zhou, Chenyi Li, Craig A. Grimes, Qingyun Cai

Abstract

High surface area (136 m² g⁻¹) nanoporous two-dimensional TiO₂ nanoflakes are applied as an adsorbent and meanwhile a matrix for toxic small molecule analysis using positive-ion surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SALDI-TOF MS). The TiO₂ nanoflakes enable one-step enrichment and analysis, greatly simplifying the analysis technique. Due to the high enrichment efficiency and low background noise, small molecule organic contaminants at ppt or even sub-ppt concentrations such as malachite green (10 pg/mL), leucomalachite green (10 pg/mL), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (0.001 pg/mL), rhodamine B (0.001 pg/mL), and crystal violet (0.1 pg/mL) were detected. In addition, malachite green and its metabolite leucomalachite green at ng/mL concentrations were successfully detected from fish blood and fish extracts, and crystal violet and its homologues at ng/cm² concentrations were detected from inks on thermal receipt papers obtained from local supermarket.

Graphical abstract

The graphical abstract shows that porous TiO₂ nanoflakes enable rapid SALDI-TOF-MS detection of small molecules within complex samples including fish blood, fish-tissue extracts, and inks.

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