NanoBlow: A Simple Device To Limit Contaminants during NanoLC-MS

Limiting contamination of liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) systems and reducing the downtime associated with maintenance and cleaning is essential for productivity. We developed a simple device that creates a gas curtain barrier to prevent ions from entering the MS inlet. The gas can be quickly and easily applied when certain contaminant ions are known to elute. We show that the device can prevent the buildup of contaminants on the heated transfer capillary following >100 injections of a crude tissue lysate and improves peptide identifications. The device may provide a promising approach toward improving instrument robustness.