Detection via laser desorption and mass spectrometry of multiplex electrophore-labeled albumin.

Albumin was reacted with a mixture of six electrophore N-hydroxysuccinimide esters, each of which possessed an interior glycolketo linkage. The purpose of this linkage is to release the attached electrophore as a ketone when heated, due to a thermal retro-aldol reaction. The multiplex electrophore-labeled albumin was detected as a dried spot deposited on a polyimide membrane by laser desorption/capillary collection (of the released ketone electrophores)/off-line gas chromatography/electron capture-mass spectrometry. This encourages further study of such electrophore labels in immunoassays and related techniques, where there is a need to make advances in multi-analyte detection.