MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Chemical Warfare Nerve Agent Simulants

Abstract

To avoid possible danger, simulants of chemical warfare nerve gas agents, such as dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), triethyl phosphate (TEP), di(propylene glycol) monomethyl ether (DPGMME), methyl salicylate, and diethyl phthalate (DEP), are often used for the development of a new detection and analysis method. In the present study, several MALDI matrices were evaluated to determine the optimal matrix for the simultaneous Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) detection of the above-mentioned five chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulants, and -cyanohydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) was found to be most effective in detecting all of the simulants without interference from strong background matrix peaks. Furthermore, the limits of detection for the five simulants were roughly estimated with the CHCA matrix. This information is expected to be important for the development of future electrowetting-on-dielectrics (EWOD)-based sample preparation methods that can be subjected to subsequent analysis by MALDI-TOF MS.