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Biomedical subjects

Richard B Cole

Publications and source records attributed to Richard B Cole.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Single eye analysis and contralateral eye comparison of tear proteins in normal and dry eye model rabbits by MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry using wax-coated target plates.

A study of rabbit tear protein expression in a dry eye rabbit model was performed to determine if a pattern in expressed proteins could be identified. The uniqueness of the model allows the comparison of normal (control) eye tear protein expression with surgically induced dry eye tear protein expression in individual animals. The sensitivity of the method allows for single eye analysis. One-dimensional mini-gel electrophoresis of the tear proteins did not show substantial differences between band patterns of the normal versus the dry eye, but was used to assess the molecular weight ranges of the major proteins. Specific assignments of some of the predominant proteins were obtained by tandem mass spectrometry (MS) which showed that the lower molecular weight lipid-binding proteins (approximately 10 kDa to 36 kDa) constitute a considerable amount of the observed protein, followed in lesser quantities by the transferrins which have higher molecular weights ranging from 70 kDa to 85 kDa. Enhancement of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-ToF) MS linear mode analysis of intact proteins in tear fluid was demonstrated through the use of wax-coated MALDI plates and spot washing. MALDI-ToF MS analysis of the expressed tear proteins illustrates that differences between normal eye tear and dry eye tear protein content are manifested in changes in the lower molecular weight lipid-binding proteins such as lipophilin which exhibits an increase in concentration in the dry eye, and beta-2 microglobulin which undergoes a decrease.

Animals↗

Characterization of synthesized titanium oxide nanoclusters by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Titania represents an important material that has wide applications. The bactericidal efficiency of TiO(2) has been shown to be dependent on the size of the nanoparticles, so it is important to be able to reliably estimate their dimensions. In this study, a stable TiO(2) cluster suspension is produced by the thermal solvent process, and ultrasmall clusters (<1 nm) with different sizes are obtained by size-selection treatment. MALDI-TOF-MS and LDI-TOF-MS are shown to be useful for characterization of these ultrasmall nanoparticles. Peak maxima are found to correlate with nanoparticle size, and the possibility of using these mass spectrometry-based approaches to estimate nanoparticle size is affirmed. The size distributions of TiO(2) nanoparticles obtained from MALDI- and LDI-TOF-MS are in good agreement with parallel TEM observations. Finally, PSD analysis of inorganic nanomaterials is performed and valuable information about the structure of analytes has been obtained.

Mass Spectrometry↗

Identification of in vitro metabolites of JWH-015, an aminoalkylindole agonist for the peripheral cannabinoid receptor (CB2) by HPLC-MS/MS.

The in vitro microsomal metabolism of JWH-015, a ligand that exhibits a high binding affinity at the peripheral cannabinoid receptor CB(2), has been studied. A total of 22 metabolites were identified and structurally characterized. The metabolites are products of: 1) monohydroxylation on the naphthalene ring (m/z 344, M20 and M21), indole ring (m/z 344, M17 and M18), or the N-alkyl group (m/z 344, M14); 2) arene oxidation leading to dihydrodiols (m/z 362, M12 and M15); 3) dihydroxylation on the naphthalene ring (m/z 360, M7) or indole ring (m/z 360, M13), resulting from a combination of monohydroxylations on both the naphthalene and indole rings (m/z 360, M16), or a combination of monohydroxylations on the naphthalene ring and on the N-propyl group (m/z 360, M9); 4) trihydroxylation (m/z 378, M1, M3, M4, M6, and M10); 5) N-dealkylation (m/z 286, M19); 6) N-dealkylation and monohydroxylation on the naphthalene ring (m/z 302, M11); 7) N-dealkylation and dihydrodiol formation from arene oxidation (m/z 320, M2 and M5); 8) dehydrogenation after monohydroxylation on the N-alkyl group (m/z 326, M22); 9) dehydrogenation and monohydroxylation on the indole ring (m/z 342, M8).

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Identification of metabolites of 4,4'-methylenedianiline in vascular smooth muscle cells by liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.

A capillary liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ES-MS/MS) method was developed for the identification of metabolites of 4,4'-methylenedianiline (diaminodiphenyl methane, (DAPM)) derived from exposure of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) to this compound. The use of precolumn concentration and column switching techniques prior to reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled online to ES-MS enabled the separation and detection of low-level DAPM and its metabolites in the exposed cell samples. The employed LC-ES-MS method, and further LC-ES-MS/MS analysis enabled the structural assignments for two DAPM metabolites from vascular smooth muscle cells: N-acetyl methylenedianiline (N-acetyl-DAPM) and N,N'-diacetyl methylenedianiline (N,N'-diacetyl-DAPM).

Aniline Compounds↗

Improved protonation, collision-induced decomposition efficiency and structural assessment for 'red tide' brevetoxins employing nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry.

Brevetoxins are a group of natural neurotoxins found in blooms of red tide algae. Previous electrospray mass spectrometry (ES-MS) studies show that all brevetoxins have high affinities for sodium ions, and they form abundant sodium adduct ions, [M + Na]+, in ES-MS, even when trace contamination is the only source of sodium ions. Attempts to obtain informative product ions from the collision-induced decomposition (CID) of [M + Na]+ brevetoxin precursor ions resulted only in uninformative sodium ion signals, even under elevated collision energies. In this study, a nano-ES-MS approach was developed wherein ammonium fluoride was used to form cationic [M + NH4]+ adducts of brevetoxin-2 and brevetoxin-3; a significant increase in the abundance of protonated brevetoxin molecules [M + H]+ also resulted, whereas the abundance of sodium adducts of brevetoxins [M + Na]+ was observed to decrease. Under CID, both [M + NH4]+ and [M + H]+ gave similar, abundant product ions and thus underwent the same types of fragmentation. This indicated that ammonium ions initially attached to brevetoxins forming [M + NH4]+ easily lose neutral ammonia in a first step in the gas phase, leaving protonated brevetoxin [M + H]+ to readily undergo further fragmentation under CID.

Animals↗

Identification and comparison of the polar phospholipids in normal and dry eye rabbit tears by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

PURPOSE: To identify and compare the phosphorylated lipids in normal and dry eye rabbit tears using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). METHODS: MALDI-TOF MS studies were performed on tear samples from normal and dry eyes of female New Zealand White rabbits. Experimental dry eye was induced by complete removal of the main and accessory lacrimal glands and nictitating membranes. A solid ionic crystal MALDI matrix of paranitroaniline and butyric acid was used to enhance the mass spectral responses of the phospholipids. In addition, a novel lipid isolation, preconcentration, and clean-up method using pipettes containing immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) medium was used. RESULTS: The polar phospholipids present in the normal and dry eye rabbit tears showed both similarities and differences. Species related to platelet-activating factor (PAF) and/or lyso-phosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and sphingomyelin (SM) were found in both the normal and dry eye rabbit tears. However, the number of types and the concentrations of SM molecules were markedly greater in the dry eye tears than in the normal tears. In addition, phosphatidylserine (PS) species that were readily detectable in dry eye tears were not found in normal tears. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography and the solid ionic crystal matrix for MALDI enabled the detection and study of phosphorylated lipids in the tears. Specific differences between phospholipid levels in normal and dry eye tears were observable with this methodology. The appearance of various SM species only in the dry eye tears may provide markers for this disease state in the future.

Animals↗

Characterization of rat liver microsomal and hepatocytal metabolites of brevetoxins by liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.

Brevetoxins are natural neurotoxins that are produced by "red tide" algae. This class of compounds can cause neurotoxic shellfish poisoning and other health problems. Brevetoxin-2 is the most abundant among the nine brevetoxins that have been characterized, whereas brevetoxin-1 is the most toxic. In this study, brevetoxin-1 and brevetoxin-2 were incubated with rat liver hepatocytes and rat liver microsomes, respectively. After clean-up steps were taken to remove the proteins, samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with electrospray mass spectrometry (LC-MS). After incubation of brevetoxin-1, two metabolites were found: brevetoxin-1-M1 (molecular weight = 900 Da), and brevetoxin-1-M2 (molecular weight = 884 Da). The increase in molecular weight combined with evidence from tandem mass spectrometry showing an increased tendency for loss of water molecules, along with considerations of established precedents for chemical transformations led to the conclusion that brevetoxin-1-M1 was formed by converting one double bond in the E or F ring of brevetoxin-1 into a diol. The second metabolite (brevetoxin-1-M2) is proposed to be a hydrolysis product of brevetoxin-1 involving opening of the lactone ring with the addition of a water molecule. The incubation study of the other starting compound, brevetoxin-2, found two metabolites in the LC-ES-MS selected ion chromatogram. Brevetoxin-2-M1 (molecular weight = 912 Da) gave a large [M-H]- peak at m/z 911, and its product ion mass spectrum allowed the deduction that this metabolite was the hydrolysis product of brevetoxin-2 involving conversion of the lactone to a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. The second metabolite (brevetoxin-2-M2, molecular weight = 896 Da) was deduced to have the same structure as that of brevetoxin-3 based on identical chromatographic retention times and similar mass spectra as those obtained for a brevetoxin-3 standard.

Animals↗

MALDI-TOF MS of phosphorylated lipids in biological fluids using immobilized metal affinity chromatography and a solid ionic crystal matrix.

When targeting a certain class of analytes, such as the phosphorylated lipids in complex biological extracts, interfering species can pose challenges to qualitative and quantitative analyses. Two aspects of lipid analysis were optimized to simplify the isolation and characterization of phosphorylated lipids in biological extracts. A new solid ionic crystal MALDI matrix was synthesized which combined the lipid response enhancing UV-absorber p-nitroaniline with the protonating agent butyric acid. Mass spectra of the extracts containing phosphorylated lipids were simplified by revealing only protonated molecules [M + H]+ of the zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine (PC) headgroup-containing lipids, such as lyso-PC, PC, and platelet-activating factor. For the anionic phosphorylated lipids, such as phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, and phosphatidylserine, further spectrum simplification is obtained by the appearance of only the monosodium adducts [M + Na]+ as the major molecular ions, in preference to the double sodium adducts [M + 2Na - H]+. In addition, a new extraction, isolation, and cleanup procedure has been developed to prepare the phosphorylated lipids for MALDI-TOF analysis by the use of immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography media (i.e., ZipTip). The latter procedure was successfully applied to a complex biological tear film lipid layer extract in preparation for MALDI-TOF analysis and phospholipid characterization.

Chromatography, Affinity↗

Determination of bond dissociation energies using electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and a derived effective reaction path length approach.

A new approach for calculating bond dissociation energies (BDEs) from ES-MS/MS measurements has been developed. The new method features a "derived effective reaction path length" that has been applied to measure BDEs of alkali metal (Li+) adducts and halide (Cl-) adducts of monoacylglycerol, 1,2-diacylglycerol, and 1,3-diacylglycerol lipids. Also studied were lithium-bound dimers of monoacylglycerols, 1,2-diacylglycerols, and 1,3-diacylglycerols. BDEs for the adducts and dimers of the lipids were derived from collision-induced dissociation experiments using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with electrospray as the ionization source. Mass spectral data were used to empirically derive a single-exponential growth equation that relates product cross section to collision energy. From these single-exponential equations, a general second-order polynomial was derived using a multivariate growth curve model that enables prediction of BDEs of unknown complexes. Mass spectral results were compared to computer-generated bond dissociation energies using Becke-style three-parameter density functional theory (B3LYP, employing the Lee-Yang-Parr correlation functional), with excellent agreement between experimental and theoretical energy values. The newly developed method is general in nature and can be used for the measurement of metal or halide ionic adduct bond dissociation energies and for the measurement of bond energies of noncovalent interactions such as dimer dissociation energies. The validity of the method has been rigorously established using a triple quadrupole, but it may also be applied to other mass spectrometers that allow user control of the collision cell potential.

Journal Article↗

Fusion peptide-phospholipid noncovalent interactions as observed by nanoelectrospray FTICR-MS.

Viral infections are propagated by the fusing of the viral membrane with a host cell membrane. Initiation of the fusion process occurs upon perturbation of the membrane of the cell under attack by a subunit of the viral protein known as a fusion peptide. Fusion peptides must insert into the lipid-rich host cell membrane to initiate rupture and merging of the two entities, but much remains unknown about the details of the fusion process. We present detailed electrospray mass spectrometry studies of binding specificities of model fusion peptides P294 and P326 with cell membrane phospholipids, i.e., phosphatidylcholines (PCs, such as 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC)) and phosphatidylglycerols (PGs, such as 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-rac-(1-glycerol)] (DMPG)). The fusion peptides clearly bind more strongly to negatively charged DMPG than to zwitterionic DMPC. Detected binding between P294/P326 and PC/PG in 100% aqueous solution was disrupted by addition of methanol, which is known to weaken hydrophobic interactions; a higher percentage of methanol was needed to destroy a stronger initial binding. Further increases in the methanol volume fraction generally resulted in a reappearance of peptide-lipid binding, with binding strength quotients of 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DLPC)/1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-rac-(1-glycerol)] (DLPG)-peptide complexes rising more steeply than those of DMPC/DMPG-peptide complexes. Compared to fusion peptides P294 and P326, a hydrophilic peptide, fibrinopeptide B, showed much weaker affinity for zwitterionic DMPC, but had moderate binding affinity to negatively charged DMPG in 100% aqueous solutions. However, upon progressive addition of methanol, this hydrophilic peptide showed only a minor initial decrease in binding to DMPG before the detected binding eventually increased. These results contrast with those obtained for the hydrophobic peptides, and offer corroborative evidence that hydrophobic interactions play a key role in the mass spectrometrically observed binding between fusion peptides and phospholipids. Because the rate of viral infection has been found to be pH-dependent, the effect of initial solution pH on peptide-lipid binding was also studied. As the pH was lowered, P326-DMPC binding had a steep and immediate weakening, whereas the P294-DMPC binding was slightly strengthened at pH 3.7 and then gradually weakened with a further decrease in pH. Both P326 and P294 exhibited affinities toward unsaturated lipids; (18:1)PC bound slightly more strongly to P294 than (18:3)PC. These experiments offer further evidence of the ability of electrospray mass spectrometry to provide binding information concerning noncovalent interactions that were established principally by the hydrophobic effect in solution.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Protein expression patterns in zebrafish skeletal muscle: initial characterization and the effects of hypoxic exposure.

Patterns of protein expression were examined in white skeletal muscle from adult zebrafish (Danio rerio). High resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis resolved between 300 and 400 spots with molecular masses between 20 and 120 kDa and isoelectric points between about 5 and 8. Forty spots, representing a range of protein size, charge, and abundance were excised, digested with trypsin, and subjected to matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionisation-time of flight mass spectrometry for protein identification. Twenty-nine spots were identified, including enzymes of energy metabolism, contractile proteins, an iron transport protein, and a heat shock protein. In addition, several spots matched theoretical proteins predicted from genome sequencing. These theoretical proteins were tentatively identified by similarity to known proteins. Patterns of muscle protein expression were then measured after zebrafish were exposed to low oxygen (16 torr) for 48 h, an exposure previously shown to increase the survival of zebrafish at more severe reductions in oxygen. Exposure to low oxygen (hypoxia) did not change the general pattern of protein expression but did affect the amounts of six low abundance proteins. The relatively subtle effects of hypoxia on patterns of muscle protein expression contrasts the widespread changes previously documented in mRNA levels in this and other species of fish during hypoxic stress. The difference between protein and mRNA expression illustrates the need to integrate both measures for a more complete understanding of gene expression in fish during hypoxic exposure.

Animals↗

Oligosaccharide analysis using anion attachment in negative mode electrospray mass spectrometry.

Eleven different anionic species were able to form adducts with neutral oligosaccharides at low cone voltage in negative ion mode electrospray mass spectrometry. Among them, fluoride and acetate have the ability to significantly enhance the absolute abundance of [M - H](-) for neutral oliogosaccharides, which otherwise have low tendencies to deprotonate due to the lack of a highly acidic group. Evidence shows that the source of high abundances of [M - H](-) for neutral oligosaccharides arises from the decomposition of [M + F](-) and [M + Ac](-) with neutral losses of HF and HAc, respectively. The chloride adducts have the best stability among all the adduct species investigated, and chloride adducts consistently appeared in higher abundances relative to [M - H](-). In tandem mass spectrometry (ES-MS/MS) experiments, upon collision induced dissociation (CID), F(-) and Ac(-) adducts gave purely analyte-related product ions, i.e., no detection of the attaching anion and no incorporation of these anions into decomposition products. Cl(-) adducts produced both Cl(-) and analyte-related product ions. For the above three anions, CID of adduct species may be used for structural determination of neutral oligosaccharides because, in each case, structurally-informative fragment ions were produced. In the presence of F(-) and Ac(-), simultaneous detection of acidic and neutral oligosaccharides was achieved, because the problem of the presence of an acidic group that can impede the deprotonation of a neutral oligosaccharide was minimized. The ratio of Cl(-):non-Cl-containing product ions obtained in CID spectra of chloride adducts of disaccharides was used to differentiate anomeric configurations of disaccharides. Density functional theory (DFT) was employed to evaluate the optimized structures of chloride adducts of disaccharides, and it was found that chloride anions favor close contact with the hydrogen from the anomeric hydroxyl group. Multiple hydrogen bonding further stabilizes the chloride adduct.

Anions↗

In vitro metabolism of diarylpyrazoles, a novel group of cannabinoid receptor ligands.

Diarylpyrazoles are a group of 1,5-diphenylpyrazole analogs of which several have been found to exhibit antagonist properties toward the cannabinoid receptors. SR141716A [N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide], the first reported antagonist, is a highly potent and selective CB1 receptor ligand that prevents or reverses CB1-mediated effects. Other analogs, such as AM251 [N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide] and AM281 [1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-4-methyl-N-4-morpholinyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide], have also shown high binding affinities to the central cannabinoid receptor and behave as antagonists/inverse agonists. There has been no report on the metabolism of any of the diarylpyrazoles, and it is unknown whether their metabolites retain any receptor binding properties. We report a study of the in vitro metabolisms of three diarylpyrazole analogs, SR141716A, AM251, and AM281, in rat liver microsomes. The metabolic profile was obtained using high-performance liquid chromatography with UV and mass spectrometry detectors. All identified metabolites are characterized by structural modifications on the terminal group of the 3-substituent. Thus, three pairs of isomeric metabolites were identified from the microsomal incubation of SR141716A; these metabolites are products of hydroxylation, hydroxylation followed by dehydration, and a combination of the two. For AM251, only four metabolic products were detected, with two resulting from monohydroxylation of the piperidine ring and the other two being products of dehydration of the first pair of metabolites. For AM281, in which the terminal group of the 3-substituent is a morpholine ring, dehydration of the first two metabolites yielded a single third metabolite due to only one possible position for the carbon-carbon double bond on the morpholinyl ring.

Animals↗

Interaction of primary amphipathic cell-penetrating peptides with phospholipid-supported monolayers.

The mesoscopic organization adopted by two primary amphipathic peptides, P(beta) and P(alpha), in Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films made of either the pure peptide or peptide-phospholipid mixtures was examined by atomic force microscopy. P(beta), a potent cell-penetrating peptide (CPP), and P(alpha) mainly differ by their conformational states, predominantly a beta-sheet for P(beta) and an alpha-helix for P(alpha), as determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. LB films of pure peptide, transferred significantly below their collapse pressure, were characterized by the presence of supramolecular structures, globular aggregates for P(beta) and filaments for P(alpha), inserted into the monomolecular film. In mixed peptide-phospholipid films, similar structures could be observed, as a function of the phospholipid headgroup and acyl chain saturation. They often coexisted with a liquid-expanded phase composed of miscible peptide-lipid. These data strongly suggest that primary amphipathic CPP and antimicrobial peptides may share, to some extent, common mechanisms of interaction with membranes.

Membranes, Artificial↗

Characterization of rat liver microsomal metabolites of AM-630, a potent cannabinoid receptor antagonist, by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

The in vitro metabolism of AM-630 was studied by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. AM-630 is an aminoalkylindole analogue that behaves primarily as a potent CB2-selective antagonist. In this study, 17 metabolic products were identified that resulted from the incubation of AM-630 in rat liver microsome preparations. Six metabolic pathways were proposed to account for all detected metabolites: (1) o-demethylation of the methoxyphenyl group, (2) morpholinyl ring opening, (3) hydroxylation on the methoxy/hydroxyl phenyl ring, (4) hydroxylation on the indole ring, (5) hydroxylation on the morpholine ring and (6) loss of the morpholine ring leading to metabolites containing either a hydroxylated or a carboxylated alkyl terminal. Three metabolites were identified as morpholinyl ring-opening products: M1, M6 and M13. Six metabolites (M2-M5, M7 and M8) were proposed to be the products of o-demethylation, hydroxylation on the methoxyphenyl group or the morpholinyl ring, dehydration following morpholinyl ring monohydroxylation, or a combination of the above metabolic pathways. The remaining eight metabolites were attributed to a pathway involving the loss of the morpholine ring at various points during the metabolic processes.

Animals↗

Identification, quantification and comparison of major non-polar lipids in normal and dry eye tear lipidomes by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.

Millions of individuals suffer from a health condition known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS, also known as 'dry eye'). Studies have indicated that the lipids in the tear film layer, which covers the outer portion of the eye, may be directly correlated with the existence of dry eye syndrome. By identifying and comparing the major, non-polar lipids in normal eye tears with a dry eye model, it may be possible to identify a symptom of, or a contributing factor to, dry eye. Electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ES-MS/MS) was used to identify and compare the non-polar lipids, detected as lithium adducts, from normal and dry eye tear samples obtained from rabbits. A limited number of normal human tear samples were also examined for lipid content, and a close resemblance to rabbit was observed. Three distinct regions were delineated in the ES mass spectra of the non polar lipids, m/z 20-500, 500-800 and 800-1100. A common feature noted among identified lipid components was a glycerol backbone with fatty acyl substituents attached. Product ion spectra were obtained for lithiated monoacyl-, 1,2- and 1,3-diacyl- and triacylglyceride standards. Newly proposed structures and fragmentation pathways for the major product ions are presented for the 1,2- and 1,3-diglycerides, and also for the monoglyceride. New approaches to distinguishing asymmetric 1,2-diglycerides and 1,2- from 1,3-diglycerides are proposed. For the rabbit tear samples, the m/z 20-500 range contains monoester diols with empirical formulas C(n)H(2n)O(4), the m/z 500-800 range includes diesters with empirical formulas C(n)H(2n-2)O(5) and the m/z 800-1100 range contains triesters with empirical formulas C(n)H(2n-4)O(6). Also found in the extracts were three isoprene acetals (terpenoids).

Animals↗

Negative ion mode evolution of potential buildup and mapping of potential gradients within the electrospray emitter.

Differential electrospray emitter potential (DEEP) maps, displaying variations in potential in the electrospray (ES) capillary and in the Taylor cone, have been generated in the negative ion mode of ES operation. In all examples, measured potential was found to be the highest at the points furthest into the Taylor cone, and values descended to zero at distances beyond approximately 15 mm within the ES capillary. In agreement with results obtained previously in the positive ion mode, negative mode data show a strong influence of electrolyte concentration on measured potentials. Weakly conductive solutions exhibited the highest values, and the steepest gradients, at points furthest into the Taylor cone. However, these same low conductivity solutions did not yield nonzero measured potentials to as deep a distance into the ES capillary as was possible from their higher conductivity counterparts. Addition of a readily reducible compound lowered measured potentials at all points near the ES capillary exit, in accordance with the description of the ES device as a controlled-current electrolytic cell. The development of potential inside the ES capillary upon the onset of ES was also studied, and initial results are presented. Potential waves are observed that can require 15 min or longer, to stabilize. The slow drift to steady potentials is evidence of upstream movement of electrochemically-produced species and follow-up reaction products; low conductivity solutions require longer intervals to reach a steady state. Potentials measured along the central ES axis reflect those at the ES capillary surface, although equipotential lines can be considered to be more compressed at the latter surface.

Anions↗