Construction of ambient ionization mass spectrometry sources and their application to the analysis of human tissue samples

This thesis describes the construction of multiple ambient ionization sources and their applicability to the analysis of human cornea and lens tissue. Within the past decade multiple ionization sources have been developed; however, the majority of these sources are designed for the analysis of a specific type of sample. The first part of this project focused on the construction and comparison of ionization efficiencies of several different ionization techniques, while also exploring the advantages and limitations of each technique.;The second part of this project, electrospray ionization (ESI) was compared to desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) for the analysis of biological tissues (i.e. human cornea and lens). The results showed that there are advantages for both techniques. For ESI, there was a higher signal intensity than for DESI; however, DESI has the advantages of easier sample preparation, faster analysis time, and the ability to analyze different parts of the tissue.;The final part of this project involved modifying the mass spectrometer to incorporate ozonolysis-induced dissociation. This technique, commonly used for characterization of unsaturated fatty acids, can also aid in the identification of lipids present within the cornea and lens tissue.