One of the difficulties associated with coupling ESI sources with MS systems is that ions must be transported into vacuum for mass analysis. See, e.g., Page J. S., et al. “Ionization and Transmission Efficiency in an Electrospray ionization—mass Spectrometry Interface.” J. Am. Soc. Mass. Spec., 2007, 18(9), 1582-1590. The transmitted ion current from an ESI source through a capillary inlet system can be reduced by up to three orders of magnitude. These losses occur mostly in transfer regions from a higher pressure to lower pressure (i.e. on either side of a capillary inlet) and two or more of these regions are typically used in traditional ESI-MS. See, e.g., S. A. Shaffer, K. Tang, G. A. Anderson, D. C. Prior, H. R. Udseth, R. D. Smith. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 1997, 11, 1813-1817. This presents a significant challenge for coupling ESI with HPMS.
Embodiments of the invention provide an electrospray ionization device coupled with high pressure mass spectrometry (HPMS). The mass spectrometer can have an atmospheric conductive inlet that is in electrical communication with a direct current power supply to conduct ions into the mass spectrometer from the ESI device. The HPMS can have a single or dual chamber configuration. A mass analyzer, such as a miniature cylindrical ion trap (mini-CIT), can reside in a vacuum chamber of a single or dual vacuum chamber design.