Detection of Protein Toxin Simulants from Contaminated Surfaces by Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry

Proteinaceous toxins are harmful proteins derived from plants, bacteria, and other natural sources. They pose a risk to human health due to infection and also as possible biological warfare agents. Paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS) with wipe sampling was used to detect proteins from surfaces as...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry 2019-08, Vol.30 (8), p.1406-1415
Main Authors: Wichert, William R. A., Dhummakupt, Elizabeth S., Zhang, Chengsen, Mach, Phillip M., Bernhards, Robert C., Glaros, Trevor, Manicke, Nicholas E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analytical Chemistry
Animals
Bioinformatics
Biological & chemical weapons
Biological warfare
Biotechnology
Carbon nanotubes
Chemistry
Chemistry and Materials Science
Emergency response
Enterotoxins - analysis
Equipment Design
Focus: Emerging Investigators: Research Article
Humans
Mass spectrometry
Nanotubes, Carbon - chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Polyethylene
Polyethylenes
Proteins
Proteins - analysis
Proteomics
Scientific imaging
Specimen Handling - instrumentation
Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization - instrumentation
Spectroscopy
Substrates
Surface Properties
Toxins
Toxins, Biological - analysis
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Proteinaceous toxins are harmful proteins derived from plants, bacteria, and other natural sources. They pose a risk to human health due to infection and also as possible biological warfare agents. Paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS) with wipe sampling was used to detect proteins from surfaces as a potential tool for identifying the presence of these toxins. Proteins ranging in mass between 12.4 and 66.5 kDa were tested, including a biological toxin simulant/vaccine for Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEBv). Various substrates were tested for these representative proteins, including a laboratory bench, a notebook cover, steel, glass, plant leaf and vinyl flooring. Carbon sputtered porous polyethylene (CSPP) was found to outperform typical chromatography paper used for paper spray, as well as carbon nanotube (CNT)-coated paper and polyethylene (PE), which have been previously shown to be well-suited for protein analysis. Low microgram quantities of the protein toxin simulant and other test proteins were successfully detected with good signal-to-noise from surfaces using a porous wipe. These applications demonstrate that PS-MS can potentially be used for rapid, sample preparation-free detection of proteins and biological warfare agents, which would be beneficial to first responders and warfighters.
ISSN:1044-0305
1879-1123
DOI:10.1007/s13361-019-02141-6