Plasmonic ZnO nanocomposite - assisted mass spectrometry for detection of low molecular compounds

Direct characterization of low molecular compounds is of significance to encode the current physiological state of an individual. Laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI MS) is a powerful tool for molecular detection, while its application in small metabolites is still hindered considering the high background interference and low signal intensity using traditional organic matrix. Here polygonal plasmonic ZnO nanocomposites are constructed and applied in LDI MS, demonstrating clear spectra background and enhanced signal sensitivity. Further considering the superior salt tolerance and protein endurance of the nanocomposites, the detection performance is validated in biofluids. It is envisioned that the plasmonic ZnO nanocomposites will open up a new era of minimally invasive bio-fluid analysis to improve the in-vitro diagnostics in clinical setting.