Fast Chemical Analysis of Droplets Unlocked by Ultra-Fast Ion Mobility Spectrometry

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Authors

  • Klaus Welters
  • Christian Thoben
  • Julius Schwieger
  • Alexander Nitschke
  • Tim Ostermeier
  • Stefan Zimmermann
  • Detlev Belder

External Research Organisations

  • Leipzig University
View graph of relations

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)22932-22938
Number of pages7
JournalAnalytical chemistry
Volume97
Issue number41
Early online date7 Oct 2025
Publication statusPublished - 21 Oct 2025

Abstract

This study presents the first coupling of high-throughput droplet microfluidics to an ultra-fast ion mobility spectrometer (IMS), providing a method for the label-free and comprehensive analysis of droplet contents at very high speeds. Building on the core strengths of IMS ─ compactness, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness ─ the added ability to capture full spectra at exceptionally short cycle times of less than 2 ms positions the technique as an exceptional platform for spectrometric analysis. The combination of a custom electrospray interface, a purpose-built monolithic fused-silica droplet generator chip, and an ultra-fast IMS enabled the chemical analysis of individual droplets in segmented flow at speeds of up to 120 Hz. The approach of droplet-based high-throughput ion mobility spectrometry (DHT-IMS) was also applied for reaction screening in nanoliter-sized droplets, exemplified by a hydrazone formation reaction between 5-methylisatin and phenylhydrazine.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cite this

Fast Chemical Analysis of Droplets Unlocked by Ultra-Fast Ion Mobility Spectrometry. / Welters, Klaus; Thoben, Christian; Schwieger, Julius et al.
In: Analytical chemistry, Vol. 97, No. 41, 21.10.2025, p. 22932-22938.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Welters, K, Thoben, C, Schwieger, J, Nitschke, A, Ostermeier, T, Zimmermann, S & Belder, D 2025, 'Fast Chemical Analysis of Droplets Unlocked by Ultra-Fast Ion Mobility Spectrometry', Analytical chemistry, vol. 97, no. 41, pp. 22932-22938. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.5c05025
Welters, K., Thoben, C., Schwieger, J., Nitschke, A., Ostermeier, T., Zimmermann, S., & Belder, D. (2025). Fast Chemical Analysis of Droplets Unlocked by Ultra-Fast Ion Mobility Spectrometry. Analytical chemistry, 97(41), 22932-22938. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.5c05025
Welters K, Thoben C, Schwieger J, Nitschke A, Ostermeier T, Zimmermann S et al. Fast Chemical Analysis of Droplets Unlocked by Ultra-Fast Ion Mobility Spectrometry. Analytical chemistry. 2025 Oct 21;97(41):22932-22938. Epub 2025 Oct 7. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5c05025
Welters, Klaus ; Thoben, Christian ; Schwieger, Julius et al. / Fast Chemical Analysis of Droplets Unlocked by Ultra-Fast Ion Mobility Spectrometry. In: Analytical chemistry. 2025 ; Vol. 97, No. 41. pp. 22932-22938.
Download
@article{2ddaf6631d2d4bbebbe8c444ae1673cc,
title = "Fast Chemical Analysis of Droplets Unlocked by Ultra-Fast Ion Mobility Spectrometry",
abstract = "This study presents the first coupling of high-throughput droplet microfluidics to an ultra-fast ion mobility spectrometer (IMS), providing a method for the label-free and comprehensive analysis of droplet contents at very high speeds. Building on the core strengths of IMS ─ compactness, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness ─ the added ability to capture full spectra at exceptionally short cycle times of less than 2 ms positions the technique as an exceptional platform for spectrometric analysis. The combination of a custom electrospray interface, a purpose-built monolithic fused-silica droplet generator chip, and an ultra-fast IMS enabled the chemical analysis of individual droplets in segmented flow at speeds of up to 120 Hz. The approach of droplet-based high-throughput ion mobility spectrometry (DHT-IMS) was also applied for reaction screening in nanoliter-sized droplets, exemplified by a hydrazone formation reaction between 5-methylisatin and phenylhydrazine.",
author = "Klaus Welters and Christian Thoben and Julius Schwieger and Alexander Nitschke and Tim Ostermeier and Stefan Zimmermann and Detlev Belder",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society",
year = "2025",
month = oct,
day = "21",
doi = "10.1021/acs.analchem.5c05025",
language = "English",
volume = "97",
pages = "22932--22938",
journal = "Analytical chemistry",
issn = "0003-2700",
publisher = "American Chemical Society",
number = "41",

}

Download

TY - JOUR

T1 - Fast Chemical Analysis of Droplets Unlocked by Ultra-Fast Ion Mobility Spectrometry

AU - Welters, Klaus

AU - Thoben, Christian

AU - Schwieger, Julius

AU - Nitschke, Alexander

AU - Ostermeier, Tim

AU - Zimmermann, Stefan

AU - Belder, Detlev

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society

PY - 2025/10/21

Y1 - 2025/10/21

N2 - This study presents the first coupling of high-throughput droplet microfluidics to an ultra-fast ion mobility spectrometer (IMS), providing a method for the label-free and comprehensive analysis of droplet contents at very high speeds. Building on the core strengths of IMS ─ compactness, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness ─ the added ability to capture full spectra at exceptionally short cycle times of less than 2 ms positions the technique as an exceptional platform for spectrometric analysis. The combination of a custom electrospray interface, a purpose-built monolithic fused-silica droplet generator chip, and an ultra-fast IMS enabled the chemical analysis of individual droplets in segmented flow at speeds of up to 120 Hz. The approach of droplet-based high-throughput ion mobility spectrometry (DHT-IMS) was also applied for reaction screening in nanoliter-sized droplets, exemplified by a hydrazone formation reaction between 5-methylisatin and phenylhydrazine.

AB - This study presents the first coupling of high-throughput droplet microfluidics to an ultra-fast ion mobility spectrometer (IMS), providing a method for the label-free and comprehensive analysis of droplet contents at very high speeds. Building on the core strengths of IMS ─ compactness, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness ─ the added ability to capture full spectra at exceptionally short cycle times of less than 2 ms positions the technique as an exceptional platform for spectrometric analysis. The combination of a custom electrospray interface, a purpose-built monolithic fused-silica droplet generator chip, and an ultra-fast IMS enabled the chemical analysis of individual droplets in segmented flow at speeds of up to 120 Hz. The approach of droplet-based high-throughput ion mobility spectrometry (DHT-IMS) was also applied for reaction screening in nanoliter-sized droplets, exemplified by a hydrazone formation reaction between 5-methylisatin and phenylhydrazine.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105019080259&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1021/acs.analchem.5c05025

DO - 10.1021/acs.analchem.5c05025

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105019080259

VL - 97

SP - 22932

EP - 22938

JO - Analytical chemistry

JF - Analytical chemistry

SN - 0003-2700

IS - 41

ER -

By the same author(s)