Microfluidic Chip–Mass Spectrometry Service

Conventional LC-MS gives you snapshots — time-point collections that miss what happens between injections. Plate-based fluorescence assays offer continuous readouts but force you to label your system, which can alter binding or kinetics. Our microfluidic chip mass spectrometry service bridges that gap, coupling microfluidic chip processing directly with high-resolution mass spectrometry for real-time, label-free monitoring of biochemical reactions using nL to μL sample volumes.

How it works:

1. Chip-based sample handling — Your sample moves through a custom or pre-configured microfluidic chip with integrated channels, reaction chambers, and mixing zones. The chip delivers precise volumes to the MS interface with minimal dead volume and carryover.
2. Online MS coupling — The chip feeds directly into an Orbitrap or Q-TOF via a nanoESI or microfluidic-optimized source. As reactions run on-chip, the output flows continuously into the MS for real-time detection.
3. Time-resolved acquisition — We collect full-scan MS or targeted SIM/SRM data across the reaction time course, capturing substrate consumption, product formation, and intermediates as they appear.
4. Quantitative processing — Extracted ion chromatograms are integrated, response factors calibrated, and kinetic parameters (k_cat, K_M, IC₅₀) calculated from the time-resolved trace.
5. Interpreted report — You get processed curves, quantified rates, statistical analysis, and a written interpretation with notes on next steps.

Standard LC-MS works by discrete injections with chromatography between runs, which limits throughput and blocks true continuous monitoring. Fluorescence plate readers run continuously but report an indirect signal that can be misleading in complex matrices. Microfluidic chip–MS avoids both compromises.

The short version: choose chip–MS when sample is limited, when you need genuine time-resolved kinetics instead of endpoint estimates, or when labeling would compromise your assay. For a complementary chip-based separation approach, see our CE-MS affinity screening service.

1

Assay Consultation and Chip Selection

We talk through your assay: reaction type (enzyme kinetics, binding, metabolism), sample matrix, what you want to detect, and the time resolution you need. We pick the right chip format — continuous-flow for steady-state kinetics, droplet-based for discrete reactions, or digital microfluidic for multi-step workflows.

2

Chip Loading and System Setup

Your sample goes into the chip via automated syringe pumps or integrated microfluidic controllers. The chip connects to the MS source through a zero-dead-volume union, and we tune flow rate, ionization voltage, and source temperature for your specific system.

3

Online MS Acquisition

Data runs continuously across the reaction time course. For enzyme kinetics we typically collect 50–200 time points per reaction. For inhibition studies we run 8–12 concentrations with matched controls.

4

Data Processing and Kinetic Fitting

Our pipeline handles peak detection, baseline correction, response calibration, and kinetic modeling — Michaelis-Menten for enzymes, four-parameter logistic for inhibition. Quality metrics include R² of curve fits, replicate CV, and signal-to-noise.

5

Deliverables

Kinetic curves with fitted parameters, raw extracted ion chromatograms, a quantified data table, and a written summary with method details and interpretation.

For automated chip-based processing, see our microreactor MS screening service.

Planning notes:

• Controls: Always include a vehicle-only control (matching solvent) and, where possible, a positive control compound.
• Buffer constraints: High salt (>100 mM), detergents (>0.1%), or DMSO (>2%) can affect chip-MS performance. We will flag this during consultation and suggest adjustments.
• Turnaround: Most projects finish in 3–5 weeks from sample receipt. Simple single-enzyme kinetics can be done in 2–3 weeks; larger screening campaigns may need 4–6 weeks.

Our pipeline turns chip-MS data into interpretable kinetics:

For broader MS-based screening approaches, see our affinity selection mass spectrometry (AS-MS) service.

What sets us apart:

• Dedicated chip-MS platform — Purpose-built for microfluidic chip–MS, not adapted from standard LC-MS. The whole pipeline, from chip selection to source configuration to data analysis, is optimized for online coupling.
• Method flexibility — Continuous-flow, droplet-based, or digital microfluidic — we pick the format that fits your assay, not the other way around.
• Minimal sample consumption — Sub-microliter volumes routinely handled. That matters when your compound or protein is scarce.
• Assay development experience — Our team has worked across enzyme kinetics, drug metabolism, binding assays, and cell-based chip-MS workflows. We help design the experiment, not just run samples.
• End-to-end service — From consultation through chip selection, acquisition, and interpreted reporting, we manage the whole project so your team stays focused on the biology.