RESUMO
The electrospray ionization-ion mobility spectrometric (ESI-IMS) technique has the potential as an analytical separation tool in analyzing polypeptides and amino acids for fast screening unknown samples in anti-chemical and biological terror attacks. A method for detecting several polypeptides and amino acids was developed based on ESI-IMS using air as drift gas at room temperature. The ion mobility of four amino acids and two polypeptides dissolved in methanol was determined on the system at elution rate of 2 mL/ min. The spectra of these compounds had characteristics of finger-printing maps. The limit of detection of this instrument for Substance P could reach 855 ng / mL in 1 min. The results showed that a small, self-contained ESI-IMS instrument with reservoirs of air could be used to quickly detect and accurately identify polypeptides and amino acids.